Three breaths

Got three minutes?  Let’s do three things to help our posture and breathing!

 

1.     Find a doorway.  Stand in it with arms stretched out to the sides against the door frame.  Lean forward, supporting yourself with your arms.  You should feel a stretch across your chest and maybe even your shoulder blades pulling together.

2.     Lie down on your back.  (Hey!  The good part!)  Bend both knees so that your feet are flat on the floor.  Bring your arms up toward the ceiling and put the palms of your hands together.  Keeping your hips on the ground and your hands together, move your arms to the left (right shoulder can come up and elbows will stay straight) and then to the right.  Keep your head still.  Repeat about ten times.  Then do the same thing letting your head follow your hands for about ten repetitions.  Finally, let your head go the opposite way that your arms go about ten times.

3.     Sit on the floor or a chair with your spine upright.  Lift your shoulders toward your ears, roll them back and down, and then circle them forward, returning to your ears.  Do about five circles and then go the other way.  At the end, sit for a couple of breaths with your ears lined up over your shoulders.

 

These are good things to do any time you feel tense or like your breathing is too shallow.  It’s a good series to reset between meetings or before bed.