How We Breathe Can Be Our Most Vital Focusing Tool

Staying focused on our tasks can be a slippery slope of challenging experiences that can kill our motivation to get back to our work. For many, concentrating can be difficult, but even the best of us will also have moments of severe distractibility.

Being able to complete tasks when needed is a major concern for anyone; how we complete our work, home chores, run errands, and even enjoy our hobbies can be severely affected by our ability to stay focused.

In today’s blog, we’ll dive into our relationship with focus and motivation and what we can do to recapture our concentration. If you’re struggling with your motivation or focus and are interested in how breathing techniques can help, this might be the blog for you!

Breathing & The Brain

How we breathe can severely impact how our brains and bodies function. One of the key ways this manifests is through the level of noradrenaline in our systems.

Noradrenaline is a vital neurotransmitter intimately associated with how we think and maintain our attention. When we’re engaged and invested in a task, noradrenaline is released in the brain to reinforce our focus, helping ensure we learn and engage with our stimuli as much as possible.

How we breathe can be hugely influential in how the body makes and releases noradrenaline in the body. An uneven breathing rhythm can disrupt our ability to maintain focus as our noradrenaline levels become affected and destabilized.

Rhythmic Breathing for Focus

One of the best ways to help instill some needed focus in our lives is to ensure that our breathing is even and rhythmic.

A balance breathing exercise is ideally suited to this requirement, enabling the practitioner to achieve an even breathing rhythm of six breaths per minute, a ratio often considered ideal for optimal health.

The technique is as follows:

• Inhale through the nose for five (5) seconds
• Now exhale through the nose for an additional five (5) seconds
• Repeat this process for ten (10) rounds or two (2) minutes

We recommend you go a little further than above and use the technique for three minutes or more. However, if you’re just starting or are limited in your breathing ability, it may be better to start with a lower practice time like the above.

The Benefits of Six Breaths Per Minute

Breathing at a rate of six breaths per minute has been shown to reduce the effects of stress and anxiety while increasing attention and focus. If you suffer from symptoms of insomnia, then this may be doubly useful as this breathing rhythm has also been shown to help improve sleeping patterns.

Making It a Habit

The key to reaping the benefits of rhythmic breathing is consistency. Like any skill, focused breathing takes practice. Start small—even two minutes a day can make a difference. As you become more comfortable with the technique, gradually increase your practice time.

Consider setting specific times during your day for focus breathing:

• Before starting work in the morning
• During your lunch break
• When you feel your attention waning in the afternoon
• Before important meetings or tasks that require concentration

By making rhythmic breathing a regular part of your routine, you’ll be better equipped to maintain focus and motivation throughout your day.

For more information regarding how to manage your breathing for a more effective lifestyle, remember: Breathe Better, Live Better.