Has your doctor ever told you to take a deep breath while she was examining you? Yes!

In the medical field we know that unobstructed movement of breath throughout the entire torso, in a slow and even manner is integral to optimal physical and mental health.

Watch this video from certified yoga and meditation coach, Meghan Leighton, to learn how to perform simple, yet very valuable breathwork.

Listed here are just a few ways that this slow, deliberate, deep, and meditative breath can aid in healing:

Calming down the fight or flight nervous system, which is overactive in common disease states such as anxiety, hypertension, tension headaches, asthma

Speeding up healing of musculoskeletal ailments such as costochondritis, back pain, tailbone pain, neck pain

Aiding recovery from infections by improving lymphatic flow through the body

Laying the groundwork for a meditation practice to help achieve optimal physical, mental, and spiritual health. Just give it a try for 5 minutes a day, you likely will start to crave these peaceful minutes!