Hopefully you don’t normally make a ton of noise when you breathe!
Today, though, I want you to try making a few different noises on purpose while your breath. Creating each of these sounds will help you to relax because they make the exhale longer and slower. Before making each sound take a deep inhale. Then create the chosen sound for as long as you can before feeling out of breath. Play around with each of them and add the one you like as a break in the middle of the day or to help you fall asleep at night!
Hissing
- Close your jaw, but leave your lips slightly apart.
- Create a hissing noise by barely letting the air seep out between your teeth.
- This let’s out more CO2 than the others, which can further help you relax.
- Hissing creates the strongest physical cue because it is easy to feel the air coming through your teeth.
Humming
- Keeping your mouth closed and tongue on the roof of your mouth create a strong humming noise while you exhale.
- This practice has the added benefit of increasing Nitric Oxide production in your sinuses. That opens your nasal passages, increases blood flow throughout body, and boosts your immune system.
- You can greatly increase this experience and meditative state by placing your hands over your ears. Doing so will make you feel a strong reverberation of the hum.
Ocean Sound (Fog Breath)
- With your mouth closed breathe out as if you were trying to fog a mirror. You should feel the flow of air in the back of your throat.
- Personally I find this practice to be the most relaxing.
- It is also one of most famous yogic breaths called Ujjayi.
- Try this method if you struggle with controlling the flow of the air as you breathe out. It makes it much easier to slow the exhale down.
- This is also great for practicing control of your diaphragm
