At these times, I'm reminded of a saying, “the body follows the mind, the mind follows the breath”. Breathing is part of your autonomic nervous ...HomeAboutBlogWorkWithMenutraceuticalsEventscontactMenuByTaraMagaddinoWhenwasthatlasttimeyouthoughtaboutyourbreathing?Formanyofus,itissomethingwedowithoutmuchthought.WhatifItoldyouthatitisyourverybreaththatcanshifthowyoumoveaboutyourday,moment-to-moment?Atthesetimes,I’mremindedofasaying,“thebodyfollowsthemind,themindfollowsthebreath”.Breathingispartofyourautonomicnervoussystem,whichmeansthatthewayyouarebreathingdirectlyaffectsthestateofyournervoussystem.Whenourbreathflowsdeep,ourdiaphragmrelaxesdownward,allowingourlungstofillcompletely,triggeringourparasympathetic(thinkparadise)nervoussystem.Thisactioninformsthebodythatalliswellandthatweareinastateofrelaxation.Inacalmerstate,weareabletothinkmoreclearly,sleepdeeper,andbemorepresentineachmoment.However,whenourbodiesareinastateofstress,ourmusclestighten,ourdiaphragmcontracts,andourbreathbecomesshallow.Shalloworrapidbreathingsendsamessagetooursympathetic(fightorflight)nervoussystemtobealert.Manyofusliveeachdayinastateoflowgrade,butchronicstressduetoourbusyschedules.Overtime,thisnegativelyimpactsourmemoryandhealth.Forthousandsofyears,Yogishaveunderstoodhowthebreathconnectstoourstateofmindandhowthepracticeofmeditationcanbenefitone’sphysicalandmentalhealth.Modern-dayinstitutionslikeUCLAandTheAlzheimer’sResearch&PreventionFoundationhavetakenaninterest,andarestudyinghowmeditationbenefitsone’soverallbeing.OneparticularmeditationiscalledKirtanKriyaMeditation.Thismeditationcanhaveimmediateandlonglastingbenefitsforyourbrain.Studiesconductedshowthatitcanhelpwithanxiety,sleep,depression,memory,andoverallcognitivefunction.Thebestpartofitall—youcancompletethismeditationinonly6-30minutes!TheAlzheimer’sResearch&PreventionFoundationrecommends12minutesaday,whichisahappymedium.Onecouldpracticerightbeforebedandnotonlyhaverestfulsleep,butasharper,happierbrainwhenyouawake!Thismeditationinvolvesthr