Breathing for ADHD Tradition
Breathwork is a tool that I implement into every single yoga class I teach, be it a private or group class. Our breath is our life force. And how we breathe matters.
When you take short shallow breaths, it engages our fight or flight response. When you take deep slow breaths where the exhale is twice as long as the inhale it triggers your parasympathetic nervous system, letting your body know that you are in a safe space. If you take deep breaths on a regular basis, you will feel more grounded, connected and focused. There is a reason why this science of breathing in connection with Ayurvedics is thousands of years old. Or why the US Navy has started to promote Ayurvedic breathing techniques for soldiers with PTSD… because it works!
This is why I had a hunch that breathwork would be helpful for individuals with ADHD. I went and did some research, as I often do when I have a hunch. What I found backed up my theory. Studies have found that deep, rhythmic breathing can balance the autonomic nervous system (which handles involuntary bodily actions such as the heart beat) which helps individuals with ADHD be more attentive and relaxed. While the Ural Federal University found that with training in breathing exercises, individuals with ADHD could engage in complex activities longer.
I know from my own experience that when I halt my patterns of anxiety or frustration by taking 3 deep breaths, it makes all the difference in the world. I go from being responsive and reactive to grounded and focused in just three breaths! This is a gift I want to share with the world and why I include it in my work. This did not happen the first time I took deep breaths, it took training. I had to practice my breathwork in times when I was not triggered. I had to connect to my breath and let go of everything else. Once I mastered that, it has become a tool that I can drop into and utilize in acute situations.
So, for the next few weeks, Mindful Tradition will focus all IG lives, newsletters, yoga classes and social media around breathing. And specifically teaching breathwork techniques to support individuals with ADHD to be focused in the present moment.
I will give prompts below for a basic breathing tool. But if you or someone you love has been diagnosed with ADHD and you would like to discuss this further, please reach out today to set up your free connection call.
Mindful Breathing -
Begin by sitting up nice and straight with your body relaxed (if an individual has a hard time keeping a straight spine, it can be helpful to sit in a straight back chair, or against the wall)
Breathe in through the nose, sending the breath down to the bottom of the belly, watch the belly expand out like a balloon. Breathe out through the nose, and watch the belly get smaller.
Breathe in through the nose, sending the breath to the lungs, watch the ribcage go out. Breathe out through the nose and watch the ribcage move back down.
Breathe in through the nose, sending the breath into the chest, feel the shoulders move up. Breathe out through the nose and feel the shoulders come down.
Repeat two more rounds of mindful breathing in the belly, ribs, and chest, and then return to a normal breath before continuing on with your day.
