Mindful breathing practices

Physical education teachers: the Mindfulness Breath Practices in Schools Initiative is an opportunity for schools to incorporate mindfulness practices into their school communities. Participate in two to five minutes of mindful breath practice daily with your students. 

Balanced breath helps students experiment with and explore the duration and relationship of the inhale and exhale. Scientific research has shown that the sympathetic branch of the nervous system is stimulated during an inhale, while the parasympathetic branch of the nervous system is stimulated on the exhale. This creates natural fluctuations in our heartbeats known as heart rate variability.  Balanced Breath, along with other mindful breathing practices has been shown in research to contribute to the dynamic balance of the automatic nervous system.