Breath Count - Your Natural Stress Indicator
>> Tuesday, April 07, 2009 –
Stress
Number of breaths do you take in a minute indicates your current stress level and mental state. More the number of breaths you take in a minute faster you are breathing which means you are more stress full and lungs are working more. Lesser the breath count, slower is your respiration rate and you are more calm.
Usually we think that few functions or activities of the body like heartbeat are not controlled by us and they take place without conscious control. They are known to be controlled by Autonomic Nervous System. But in reality they are controlled by our subtle will although we are not sensitive enough to realize that. There are lots of yogis who can control the heartbeat count at will and it has been demonstrated to the modern science also. Similarly the breathing also is controlled by our mental state.
There is a great relation between the steadiness of mind and the breathing pattern. More agitated mind means faster breathing and calmer mind means slower breathing rate. So how can we measure our breath count and what is supposed to be proper breath count? Simple rule of the thumb is lesser the count better it is.
How To Measure The Breath Count?
Sit in a place quietly for two three minutes and then take start looking at a clock or watch with seconds hands and decide to measure the breathing for one minute. As soon as seconds hand reaches the 12 O'clock start counting the breaths (one round is inhalation + exhalation) on your fingers. As soon as one minute is complete then record the number of breaths. If your count is 8 or less then you are in ideal state and very less stressed. If the count is between 9 and 15 it is normal breath count of an average person. If the breath count is 16 or above then you are stressed out. For more accurate reading it is advisable to note the reading for several days and during different times of the days and take the average. Another way is to take the measurement for 3 to 4 minutes and then average it out to one minute. This will provide you more accurate reading as compared to the reading taken only for a minute. Higher breath count readings on regular basis, especially 20 or more indicates higher probability of high blood pressure or other diseases. Therefore you should get your blood pressure checked.
Suppose your breath count is 15, that means that as compare to a very calm person you are breathing 5 times more a minute. So in 1 hour you are breathing 300 times more and in 10 hours 3000 times more. If that is your regular breathing pattern you are taking 26,38,000 breaths more in a year. You can imagine the extra work you lungs are doing.
How to reduce the Breath count?
Follow these techniques and see the difference in your stress levels. What is you breath count?
Bhramri Pranayama
Usually we think that few functions or activities of the body like heartbeat are not controlled by us and they take place without conscious control. They are known to be controlled by Autonomic Nervous System. But in reality they are controlled by our subtle will although we are not sensitive enough to realize that. There are lots of yogis who can control the heartbeat count at will and it has been demonstrated to the modern science also. Similarly the breathing also is controlled by our mental state.
There is a great relation between the steadiness of mind and the breathing pattern. More agitated mind means faster breathing and calmer mind means slower breathing rate. So how can we measure our breath count and what is supposed to be proper breath count? Simple rule of the thumb is lesser the count better it is.
How To Measure The Breath Count?
Sit in a place quietly for two three minutes and then take start looking at a clock or watch with seconds hands and decide to measure the breathing for one minute. As soon as seconds hand reaches the 12 O'clock start counting the breaths (one round is inhalation + exhalation) on your fingers. As soon as one minute is complete then record the number of breaths. If your count is 8 or less then you are in ideal state and very less stressed. If the count is between 9 and 15 it is normal breath count of an average person. If the breath count is 16 or above then you are stressed out. For more accurate reading it is advisable to note the reading for several days and during different times of the days and take the average. Another way is to take the measurement for 3 to 4 minutes and then average it out to one minute. This will provide you more accurate reading as compared to the reading taken only for a minute. Higher breath count readings on regular basis, especially 20 or more indicates higher probability of high blood pressure or other diseases. Therefore you should get your blood pressure checked.
Suppose your breath count is 15, that means that as compare to a very calm person you are breathing 5 times more a minute. So in 1 hour you are breathing 300 times more and in 10 hours 3000 times more. If that is your regular breathing pattern you are taking 26,38,000 breaths more in a year. You can imagine the extra work you lungs are doing.
How to reduce the Breath count?
- Key to reducing the breath count is a relaxed state of mind. I have written two posts for relaxing. They teach you how to relax consciously. Practicing the relaxation techniques regularly will over time reduce you respiration rate.
Here are the links.
Yoga For Conscious Relaxation
Relaxing Consciously Through Yoga – Part II - Watch your breath. This is again a good technique as watching your breath on regular basis reduces slows the breathing. This can also be done in office or while traveling.
- Practice deep breathing every now and then. You might have read in all anger management articles that this is very effective technique.
Follow these techniques and see the difference in your stress levels. What is you breath count?
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