Breathe Well – OzHelp

Why Breathing Well matters

The way we breathe can help our physical and mental health.
Breathing well impacts your overall health and your body’s ability to function. 
Breathing deeply slows down the heart rate which signals your brain to relax. The brain then sends this message to your body.
Inhaling deeply tops up the oxygen in your body and can increase physical energy.
Exhaling deeply can reduce levels of stress hormones in the blood, as well as remove lactic acid from muscles.
Controlling your breathing calms the whole nervous system, helping you to feel less stressed and more focussed.

What can I do to Breathe Well?

Good quality breathing is free medicine, and controlling your breathing has huge benefits to your overall health and wellbeing. There are small actions you can take, even while on the job, that will help you breathe better.

Try to increase your daily exercise. Exercise can increase the amount of oxygen your body receives.
Smoking can make you feel breathless. Reducing the amount you smoke will help you to breathe more deeply.

Turn on the filtered air in your cab to limit breathing in diesel exhaust fumes.

Tips to breathe well

Take three deep breaths hourly

This helps to release stress from the body.
Breathe deeply into your belly, pushing your ribcage out to fill the tops of your lungs.

Breathe through your nose

Breathe in and out through your nose.
Doing this cleans, heats and moistens the air so your lungs can top up the oxygen in your body more easily.

Slow your breathing

Slow your breathing, aiming for six breaths (in and out) per minute.

Breathing Exercises

Breathing Exercise One

Note: This can be done on the job!

Breathe in deeply and slowly through the nose, as you lift your shoulders towards your ears.
Exhale with a big sigh through the mouth as you drop your shoulders back down.
Do this three times.

Breathing Exercise Two

Belly breathing to relax you before you go to sleep:

Lie down and put one hand on your belly and one hand on your chest.
Inhale deeply through your nose into your lower hand on the belly. Feel your belly rise and expand.
Slowly keep inhaling to move the breath up and notice your upper hand on your chest rise.
Exhale slowly through the nose, moving the air away from your chest and then your belly. Notice the hand on your chest lower.
Consciously soften your jaw and your body.

Repeat this for two to three minutes.

Advanced Breathing Practice

When trying Breathing Exercise Two, work yourself up to a count of 4 on the inhale and 8 on the exhale

Tips for good breathing

Try to increase your daily exercise. Exercise can increase the amount of oxygen your body receives.
Smoking can make you feel breathless. Reducing the amount you smoke will help you to breathe more deeply.
Wear the appropriate PPE onsite to ensure you’re filtering any potentially toxic fumes or materials.