SELF HEALTH + HEALING

Just before you crest a hill or reach the end of a speed interval, your lungs go into overdrive. Your breath becomes shallow and rapid. You think if only you could pull in more air, you could surge up that hill or maintain your pace. But the more your chest heaves, the more you struggle. You may even end up exhausted, bent over, gasping for air.

"Runners think about training their heart and legs, but they rarely think about training their lungs," says Mindy Solkin, owner and head coach of The Running Center in New York City. "A strong respiratory system can improve your running. It's a simple equation: Better breathing equals more oxygen for your muscles, and that equals more endurance."

The way you habitually breathe is very likely screwing up your body and its functions in tons of different ways. Here's how to fix that.

Did you know that your regular breathing pattern is very likely screwing up your body and its functions in tons of different ways?

Yup. Without knowing it you might be messing up your sleep, mood, digestion, heart, nervous system, muscles, brain and even the development of your teeth and face structure. Yayks.

On the flip side are all the benefits to be gained from learning a few simple principles for proper breathing.

These would be more energy, improved health, greater harmony, less anxiety, less fear, better relationships and just a happier life in general.

Sounds pretty good right?