Whether you’re fighting off afternoon fatigue, dealing with a stressful day, or just feeling a little lethargic, consciously filling your lungs can revive your flagging vigor.
You can do this breathing exercise (which I learned from a tai chi teacher years ago) right at your desk. You’ll be doing a three-part inhalation, so don’t fill your lungs all the way up until you get to step number 3.
Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart with a little flex in your knees.
- Inhale (the first third of your breath) and lift your arms straight out in front of you.
- Continuing inhaling (the second third) and bring your arms out to the side, still parallel to the floor.
- Finish inhaling (the final third) as you lift your arms straight over your head.
- Slowly exhale and let your arms drop to your side.
Repeat several times and enjoy the surge of oxygen through your body.
Here’s a video that illustrates this breathing exercise:
About the Author
Larry Swanson is a massage therapist in downtown Seattle, WA. His practices focuses on the unique needs of office workers and also includes injury treatment for sports and car-accident injuries as well as massage for wellness and athletic performance.