Do You Have a PhD in Breathing?

Einstein made the next three comments at family gatherings. None has been
previously reported. Proof? I heard them with my own two little ears at the time.

You decide if they are humorous, sarcastic, or just ironic.

1. “Hard work never killed anybody, but still it is a risk.”

2. “Your Mother taught you Honesty is the best policy.

But your attorney says Insanity is your best defense.”

3. “Most of our family has a strong Will, but a weak Won’t.”

A second cousin, once removed (another clown) responded –

“I have discovered in America I am a Nobody. All Americans know – ‘Nobody is

Perfect’. Conclusion – I must be perfect!” Al giggled at the syllogism.

The second cousin continued, “In Germany I was told by my elders I was
Indecisive. Here in America I have had time to consider this critique of my
character. Now I am not so sure.” Aha! Family humor lives.

Exhaling

Until recently I have given a total of two-minutes of thought out of a lifetime of

breathing, to inhalation and exhalation. Today – “I am Not so sure!”

Magda Proskauer, M.D. “Most of us have an inability to fully exhale.” Have you
ever thought that? Me neither. She explained, Exhaling physically releases stress
and emotional all mentally baggage.

So what

Dr. Proskauer said, Inhaling requires tension upward and a movement of our ribs
and shoulders. She points at our Diaphragm as the key to inhaling. But exhaling
requires Letting-Go! This requires a physical relaxation and a mental release of
negative feedback.

It is harder than it looks and requires conditioning exercises.

How Come

Civilized Homo sapiens often hold-their-breath throughout the day when they
experience Information-Overload, anxiety, angst or chronic Stress.

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Please Take Notice: when we are experience Emotional fears, it triggers our Brain’s
limbic system. When we engage in Self-Pity, Self-Importance and fears, we go on
autopilot and stop inhaling normally. Guess what? We also hold our breath longer
than is natural, and do not exhale completely. Bad for both your body and mind.

So What

Your posture and facial expression affect your body and mind. Get this one:
how we SIT at our computer all day influences human breathing, health, well being
and even longevity. Don’t laugh it off – read this partial list.

a) shortens the muscles in anterior (front) of body (use it or

lose it)
b) inhibits long-term memory in the brain’s hippocampus.
c) reduces your ability to learn (need more oxygen).
d) reduces your cardiac (heart) blood flow.
e) pressures your kidneys.
f) slows your nervous and immune systems.
g) screws up your enteric nervous system (intestinal brain).

Secret

Health and long-life require an ERECT SPINE while seated at your computer.
Your posture must be totally relaxed, not bent over like a Charles Dickens
bookkeeper.

2-Minute Exercise

1. Stand up and look ten feet ahead of you for this two (2) minute
exercise or do it sitting facing your computer looking forward.

2. Interlace the fingers of both hands flat and cover your navel
(bellybutton) a/k/a Umbilicus. You are now aware of your
Diaphragm located below your lungs (largest respiratory muscle).

Diaphragm contracts (flattens) during Inhalation, creating a

vacuum and causing your chest cavity to expand and suck Oxygen
into your lungs. Exhalation causes your diaphragm to relax and
forces air out of your lungs. Right? Straighten out!

3. Take a d-e-e-p diaphragmatic inhalation slowly counting 1 to 5.

4. Stop and hold your full inhalation for a count of one-one-thousand

to five-one-thousand. It is easy and focuses your attention.

5. Slowly exhale all of the air from your lungs by pushing outward at

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 the end of your exhalation to squeeze it all out.

6. Repeat this exercise five (5) times for best effect. Two-minutes total.

7. To double the effect on body and mind – create and maintain

a side-to-side SMILE on your face during the entire exercise.

Breaths Per Minute

Normal healthy folks have six (6) breaths per minute, each lasting ten (10) seconds.
During sickness or fever breathing increases up to twelve (12) breaths per minute.

Infants have up to 44 breaths per second.

Inquiring Minds need to know: the slower your breathing, the higher level of blood
Oxygen. That’s good. When learning or testing your brain needs an additional 10%
of Oxygen in blood, raising it to about 32% of total supply.

Our 3-pound brain requires about 22% of all inhaled Oxygen and 33% during
stress including learning and testing.

Endwords

89% of the adult U.S. population spends a minimum of three-hours in front of their
computer daily. Humans are conditioned by whatever they repeat daily for a
minimum of 21 days. The Conditioning goes on autopilot and becomes hardwired
and a Habit.

The best conditioning for health, longevity and success in your career is Self-
Conditioning. Doing this two-minute breathing exercise daily at your computer for
21 days can improve the delivery of more blood oxygen to your brain. Good idea.

If you want greater success in your career, have a competitive advantage over
your peers. If you could read and remember three (3) books, articles and reports
while your competitors can hardly finish one, would that help your career?

Contact us and ask for our free speed reading report. It is that important.

See ya,

copyright © 2010 H. Bernard Wechsler www.speedlearning.org

hbw at speedlearning.org
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