The Breathing Cure

I close my eyes and inhale deeply. Hold for ten seconds. I breathe out. Hold for ten seconds. This is a sequence I repeat whenever I start to feel anxious or tense - emotions I experience much too often for my liking these days.

While doing anything and between thinking for practical purposes, bring attention into your body and reduce your breathing. You follow each breath and feel the air shortage. You breathe through your nose at all times: during exercise, while sleeping and when engaged in any other activity. You feel your inner body throughout the day.

Run and hold: Ten to fifteen minutes into your run, when your body has warmed up and is sweating, gently exhale and hold your breath until you experience a medium to strong air shortage. The length of the breath hold may range from 10 to 40 paces and will depend on your running speed and BOLT score. • Break for 1 minute and repeat: Following the br