“Breathing is the first act of life and our last..our very life depends on it. Since we cannot live without breathing it is tragically deplorable to contemplate the millions who have never mastered the art of correct breathing” Joseph Pilates
Inspired by Joseph Pilates (who based his method of Contrology on breathing as the first step to mastering complete control over your mind and body) I am a huge advocate of the power of breathing. I am very passionate about teaching my Pilates and PT clients how to connect their breath to their movement to ensure that every exercise is mindful and controlled. Utilising breath correctly can aid a stronger connection to the deep abdominal muscles (that make up part of your core) which will help stabilise and control your movement. Breathing can, therefore, help provide more power and dynamics into your training. For example, using a strong/dynamic out breadth on the concentric/pulling upwards part of a pull up will aid a connection to the deep-abdominals (Transverse Abs) and help provide power and strength for this part of the movement. Using an inhale on the eccentric/release part of a pull up will help control the lower back down. Breathing also helps enormously with stretching; slowing and deepening the breathing during post-workout stretching will increase blood flow to the muscles and help remove any lactic acid build up. You can use your breath to increase the intensity of your stretches; move into your stretch on an exhale, every time you inhale, hold the stretch and then on each exhale, try to go a little bit further into the stretch, without forcing your muscles.

​Breathing can also be an extremely useful tool for remaining mindful and calm during moments of stress and/or anxiety. I, personally, struggle with moments of intense anxiety, often brought on by a busy London lifestyle, rushing around and often feeling overwhelmed by being pulled in too many directions. To manage my anxiety, I practice daily mindful breathing (yes I'm that weirdo on the tube with my eyes closed, breathing heavily!). Anxiety and stress is, unfortunately, a huge part of many people’s lives as we continue to feel the pressure of balancing a successful career with our family and personal life. Take it from someone who once experienced such a severe anxiety attack that I  called my manager from the top of ski run to hand in my notice, that breathing REALLY DOES HELP!! How? Well, without going into a scientific thesis, basically practicing slow, deep breathing stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system (the system which calms us down) and will reduce anxiety and lower cortisol levels. Simply taking a few deep breaths engages the Vagus nerve which triggers a signal within your nervous system to slow heart rate, lower blood pressure and decrease the stress hormone cortisol. So next time you feel yourself in a stressful situation that activates your ‘Fight-or-Flight’ response, stop and breathe! Or even better, introduce daily breathing into your routine as a proactive mechanism for managing stress and anxiety.

Wellness Writer, Alice Muskett, takes us through a simple, effective breathing technique below.
A simple stress busting exercise is to take a few moments to focus purely on your breath. You can do this any time of the day and as regularly as you like - you can even do it in the toilet cubicle at work if you need a quick break from office mayhem. Close your eyes if you feel comfortable doing that, or just soften your gaze, and focus on your breath as you slowly breathe in and out. You may want to focus on the sensations of air coming in and out of your nostrils, or you may want to put a hand on your belly and feel it moving up and down. You can count 1 as you breathe in, 2 as you breathe out if that helps. Do whatever feels best for you. There's no right or wrong here. The aim is to simply take a mental break. This slows down your thoughts and refocuses your energy. It is a calming, nourishing, exercise that you can use whenever the need arises. For an added boost, silently say 'I am' as you breathe in and 'at peace' as you breathe out.

​Check out Alice Muskett's self care blog: ​The Self Care Life

When it comes to health and wellness, we tend to only think about exercise and nutrition. However, getting enough sleep is also key! It's difficult in our busy lives to get as much sleep as we'd like but maybe after reading this post you'll stop your next Netflix marathon an episode earlier for that extra hour of shut eye! Amongst many others, here are my top reasons for making sleep a priority in your life:

1. Sleep deprivation can lead to weight gain - studies show that sleep deprived individuals have a bigger appetite and tend to eat more calories.  Sleep deprivation disrupts the daily fluctuations in appetite hormones and is believed to cause poor appetite regulation. This includes higher levels of ghrelin, the hormone that stimulates appetite, and reduced levels of leptin, the hormone that suppresses appetite.

2. Good sleep can maximize problem solving skills and enhance memory - poor sleep has been shown to impair brain function. Sleep is important for various aspects of brain function. This includes cognition, concentration, productivity and performance.

​3. Good sleep enhances athletic performance - longer sleep has been shown to improve many aspects of athletic and physical performance. A study of over 2,800 women found that poor sleep was linked to slower walking, lower grip strength, and greater difficulty performing independent activities.

​4. Poor sleepers have a greater risk of heart disease - sleeping less than 7-8 hours per night is linked to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.

5. Sleep affects glucose metabolism and type 2 diabetes risk - sleep deprivation can cause pre-diabetes in healthy adults, in as little as 6 days. Many studies show a strong link between short sleep duration and type 2 diabetes risk.

6. Poor sleep is linked to depression -  those with sleeping disorders, such as insomnia or obstructive sleep apnea, also report significantly higher rates of depression than those without. Poor sleeping patterns are strongly linked to depression, particularly for those with a sleeping disorder.

7. Sleep improves immune function - Getting at least 8 hours of sleep can improve immune function and help fight the common cold.

8. Poor sleep is linked to increased inflammation - sleep affects the body’s inflammatory responses. Poor sleep is strongly linked to inflammatory bowel diseases and can increase the risk of disease recurrence.