Learn to Concentrate in 5 minutes: the art of cardiac coherence breathing
- Do you have trouble concentrating?
- Do you want to relieve yourself of temporary stress?
- Don’t want to spend 30 minutes meditating?
I have good news for you! You can learn to deal with all these issues without breaking a sweat…Yes! You heard it right! It may sound like a marketing gimmick! But it’s not!
You may ask,
- Okay, But how do we do that?
- Do we have to buy a device or another online program with empty promises?
No! You don’t have to buy anything!
This article will discuss the ancient yogic breathing technique known as Pranayama.” The method can be found as early as the 11th century in the ancient Hindu/Buddhist texts. But in recent years, the term was rebranded by “Scientific American.”
“Which became a subject of controversies!” However you prefer to call it, the techniques and principles are the same. Thus, going on either path will bring excellent results for you!
What is Cardiac Coherence?
We all know that our heart constantly beats like a metronome. But we don’t know that the heart rate is not linear, and it creates tiny variations every time it pumps. This phenomenon is scientifically known as “Heart Rate Variability (HRV).” Which can be easily monitored via electrocardiogram.
The degree of fluctuation between two contractions depends on several parameters, such as:
- In a state of stress, the fluctuation rate spikes intensely.
- But goes down in a calm, relaxed state of mind.
So what does cardiac coherence mean? In simple terms, it corresponds to the stability of heartbeat variations while breathing.
Furthermore, we will try to regulate our pulse and influence the rhythm of our brain activity using the Breathing Method.
Why Use this method?
To act is good. Acting with a purpose is even better.
You have a beautiful list of your goals, which already motivates you.
As we know, neurons do not work similarly under stress or total concentration. The activity of neurons emits waves. And their length depends on our psychological state.
Our aim would be:
- To improve our concentration power,
- And emit so-called “Alpha” waves to achieve a better concentration power.
There are several benefits of using this method. Such as,
- You can control your nervous system by controlling your breathing.
- It helps regulate stress, anxiety, and even blood pressure.
- Regular practice improves the immune system.
The list of benefits is quite long and can be found online once you search for them. However, we will only focus on the alpha waves to keep this article relevant. Because they help promote creativity, calmness, and memorization power.
So, How Does it Work?
The principle is plain and simple.
It is vital to learn how to balance the fluctuation of our heartbeats during:
- A Sudden spike
- Or a significant drop for a specific period.
According to neuroscience, the best-known rule is 3-6-5. This means the practice should be done:
- 3 times a day
- 6 cycles per minute
- 5 minutes per session
Let’s break it down:
- A cycle works as a combination of 5 seconds of breathing in and 5 seconds of breathing out.
- In a cycle, we will inhale and exhale 6 times per minute for a total of 5 minutes per session. And we will do it 3 times a day.
In short, a cycle lasts 10 seconds, and we breathe 30 times per session and 90 times daily!
The ideal session time would be:
- When you wake up,
- Before eating lunch,
- And at the end of the afternoon.
However, we can do the 4th session before going to sleep if the day goes long.
But the sessions should be done only sitting or standing, not lying down on your back.
The effects go away after 3-4 hours. That’s why I’d recommend doing it several times a day to stay rejuvenated.
You’d be surprised to see the immediate effects, such as becoming calmer than before. But most of the benefits appear throughout a long-term practice.
This Brings Us To…
The workout!
Please read all the instructions carefully, then try for yourself.
- You’re going to need a timer.
- A 5-minute countdown.
- If you want to do it standing up, you can. But to start, we will do it seated.
Sit comfortably:
- Inhale through your nose for 5 seconds (in your head).
- Exhale through your mouth for 5 seconds.
- It doesn’t matter if you don’t last 5 seconds the first few times. Start again until the end of the countdown!
- No need to close your eyes, but you can. I keep my eyes closed.
- Using a timer isn’t the best option, but if you don’t have anything else, go for it.
- It would be beneficial to have an application on your phone. I personally like to use a meditation app called “Petit Bambou. You can also search on YouTube.
Just Type “Cardiac Coherence” on YouTube, and you will find it immediately. However, I have chosen the following video for your convenience:
BREATHING EXERCISE: Cardiac coherence from Pranayama yoga.
All you have to do is Try.
Even if it sounds silly to you.
Try it anyway. You Risk Nothing J
Let me know in the comments how your first session went. Also,
Share your experience if you’ve been practicing it for a long time.
May the Force be with you!
Kazi [ Ex-Skeptic]