Start Your Morning With This Breathing Exercise for Energy and Stress Relief
We’re all probably familiar with this feeling — we wake up in the morning and our daily to-do list immediately pops into our mind. Starting the day feeling overwhelmed and anxious can be a barrier to having a happy, focused, and productive day. So when we found out about the HA breath from mindfulness instructor Sah D’Simone, we knew we had to give it a try.
The HA breath is a powerful and simple technique to release toxic stress from your body, relax your mind, and open your heart. “In using our voice as an expression of release, we can really reclaim our voice in whatever way in our lives that perhaps we’re silencing ourselves,” says D’Simone.
How to Do the HA Breath Technique
To begin practicing the HA breath, get settled in a comfortable seated position. For this practice, you’ll use your whole body to awaken your energy and focus.
Before you begin, take a moment to check in with yourself. Close your eyes and take an opportunity to reclaim a bit of mindfulness in your world. Notice if you’re hooked on any narratives, if there are any thoughts that are playing out on a loop in the back of your mind, or if you’re picking up on a particular feeling. This is an incredible way to exercise the power of your witness and awareness. By simply becoming aware, you begin to release and diffuse any built-up negative energy.
After taking a few moments to reflect, raise your arms up to the ceiling on an inhale, and draw them down to your sides (elbows to ribs) on an exhale as you vocally release a “HA!” through your mouth. As you progress through this breathwork for energy, you’ll increase the pace and the intensity of your vocal release. Repeat several times, then relax your arms and hands by bringing them to rest palms-down on your kneecaps for a moment of final reflection.
Ready to start practicing the HA breath? Try our guided Awakening Breath class with Sah D’Simone on Alo Moves. Start your free 14-day trial here.