It may sound like a cliché but exercises must be a pivotal part of our daily routine, especially now a days.
The recent times amid the ongoing pandemic have proved how important it is to take out time for exercising from your everyday schedule. While it is imperative to improve your immunity to fight with this invisible enemy, strengthening your respiratory system is equally important. When we say exercise, they are not only related to our physique but respiratory system too. It will not be an overstatement if we say breathing exercises in the present time are even more important. Although these exercises do not prevent Covid 19 but they surely make our respiratory system stronger. Various studies show that people who do breathing exercises on a daily basis, have successfully reduced the severity and impact of this disease. We have compiled here, four exercises for you. They are most simple and least time taking, but have great results such as longevity of breath and boosting oxygen levels in the body.
1. Abdominal Breathing Exercise
If we talk about simplicity, it is the easiest exercise to perform. You can do it any time in the day, even before bed time. Lie down straight on your back. Keep one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach. Inhale as deep as you can so that you feel the breath up to your belly button. Exhale slowly while pressing tightly on your stomach. Keep repeating the exercise as per your ability to perform it. It expands the capacity of your lungs.
It expands the capacity of your lungs.
2. Alternate Breathing Exercise
This exercise is popularly known as Anulom Vilom Pranayam. Sit calmly on a chair or in cross leg position on a yoga mat or carpet. Close one nostril with thumb and inhale with the other nostril which is open, now close both nostrils with the help of thumb and ring finger. Hold the breath till three counts. Open that nostril which was closed first with the thumb and close the other one with ring finger and exhale from the opened nostril. Keep repeating this alternate breathing technique for five to ten times initially. You can extend this exercise up to twenty-five times once you are habitual of doing it daily. Morning is the best time to perform this exercise but you can do it before sleep also, however you should try to be empty stomach before doing it.
This exercise is popularly known as Anulom Vilom Pranayam.
3. Humming Exercise
Close your lips in a way that they are barely touched with each other and your teeth are not clinched. Close your ears with both thumbs of your hands and keep rest of the fingers on both of your eyes and chin gently. Inhale deeply and while you exhale, make a soft humming sound. You can also make a sound of Om, stressing upon the last syllable. This simple exercise has enormous benefits. Note that you need to keep your head, neck and shoulder areas relaxed while doing this exercise. The humming not only elongates your breathing but also keeps you away from stress which is the need of the hour during pandemic. It leads us to have a strong and anxiety free mind set along with the body.
The humming not only elongates your breathing but also keeps you away from stress which is the need of the hour during pandemic. It leads us to have a strong and anxiety free mind set along with the body.
4. Cobra Pose or Bhujangasan
The cobra or snake pose is an exercise with innumerable benefits. Lie down on a yoga mat or carpet, on your stomach. Fold your elbows in a way that they are not touched with the floor. Both your palms should be flat on the ground next to each shoulder. Your face should also be towards the ground. Slowly inhale deeply, so you feel the air in your stomach. As you exhale slowly, first lift your forehead then chest and bend your back gently. Your pelvis and legs should be flat and little stretched outward. After holding this pose for thirty seconds you can lie down and relax for twenty seconds and then repeat the whole process for one or two times. Stay in this position initially for thirty seconds then raise the time up to one minute. This pose enhances your breathing capacity and makes your spinal chord flexible which leads to open the blockage in the arteries.
The cobra or snake pose enhances your breathing capacity and makes your spinal chord flexible which leads to open the blockage in the arteries.
