Bay Yoga

26/07/2023

BayYoga is taking a break. Keep an eye out on socials for return class dates.

27/02/2023

Breath Myth: Taking a Bigger Breath Oxygenates us More. In fact: Body oxygenation works optimally when our breath is gentle, appropriately regulated and matches our body’s metabolic need.
So, if we are exercising we may of course need to breathe bigger, but if we're stationary, stressed/anxious AND breathing big, we can upset the chemical balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood by breathing out too much carbon dioxide.
Without the adequate amount of CO2, the oxygen carrying molecule (haemoglobin) becomes sticky and it doesn’t release the much needed oxygen into the cells and tissues.
Hence you can feel light headed, a bit blank and 'not there'. Stage fright is a good example. Adequate oxygen is not getting to the brain…
A regular breathing practice can develop into a fantastic resource for you to call on when your breathing rate increases when you are feeling stressed or anxious.
Instead of taking big deep breaths, maybe try something different…
Relax your jaw and neck, allow the shoulders to soften and drop and relax your belly.
When you breathe in, feel the breath coming from the movement of the abdomen and lower ribs, while the neck shoulders and upper chest remain (more) still and relaxed.
Try this next time you notice your breath has sped up, or you’re feeling anxious or stressed:
Take a normal breath in and out through the nose, after you complete the exhale, hold your breath out for 3-5 seconds and then breathe normally for about 10 seconds and then do it again.
Inhale a small/normal breath in, normal breath out then hold the breath out for 3-5 seconds. Keep going till the breath has slowed and and you are feeling more relaxed. It can be done sitting down or when you’re walking around. 
Note: always breathing in and out through the nose.
This is a great way to slow the breath down and calm the mind and the body.
One effects the other two...
Give it a whirl!

30/01/2023

Our Friday morning yoga classes resume this week, and will continue 8:30am Fridays throughout the school term. Come along + be nourished through breath and movement!

All welcome, please join us at:

Bateau Bay Community Hall
1 Rushby St, Bateau Bay
info@bayyoga.com.au

10/01/2023

STUDENT TESTIMONIAL: “Julie's awareness of each person's ability (whether beginner or advanced) with yoga felt like the class was tailor-made for me!
There is something particularly unique and incredibly rejuvenating about Julie's Yoga teaching. With her experience and dedication to knowing her students abilities and limitations so as to carefully design each class. Her incorporation of breath work with her Yoga Practice has assisted healing and wellness for me and I am truly grateful that I am able to participate in her Yoga classes.”
-Peta-

10/01/2023

STUDENT TESTIMONIAL: “I have sincerely enjoyed my sessions at BayYoga! As a person in her 70's, yoga has given me an awareness to a healthier and fitter life. As the "invisibility"of our senior years creeps up on you, you can stand tall, flex those muscles, balance the good and the not so good, and have the confidence to have control of the direction of your life!
It has been so rewarding to share these times with others seeking similar aims, and I can hardly wait to return next year.”
-Robyn-

10/01/2023

BayYoga STUDENT TESTIMONIAL: “I just completed my first term of classes at Bay Yoga and I absolutely loved the whole experience!
The classes were fun, relaxing but also challenging and Julie’s calm, friendly and intuitive manner made everyone feel welcome and individually supported.
I have gained so much since starting yoga, including increased flexibility, breath awareness and a noticeable improvement in my ability to manage workplace stress.
Friday morning yoga class has become my favourite time of the week!” -Jillian-

05/09/2022

In fact more isn’t always better. There is actually such a thing as the ‘right amount of breath’ and this changes with what we are doing…
Taking in more air than our body need adds an extra burden on our system and can result in habitual over breathing, (low level hyperventilation) which can affect many systems of the body.
Stress and anxiety can put our breath rate up as well - and if we don’t address it, faster, shallow, mouth breathing can become our normal breathing pattern.

At rest a healthy person averages between 10 & 12 breaths per minute.

Often people who have cardiovascular or respiratory ailments, anxiety or inflammatory conditions can breathe between 15 & 20 breaths per minute.

But… learning to breathe correctly can be a hack you can use to improve your health and your mood. How we breathe and how we feel are intimately connected.

If you’re interested, check out your breath rate by seeing how many breaths per minute you breathe…
In our yoga classes we focus on the breath, incorporating breathing in our classes and the Asana.

‘A perfect man breathes as if he is not breathing’ - Lao Tsu

breathing

10/08/2022

If you would like to try breath centered yoga we have some availability in our Friday morning class. Email julie@bayyoga.com.au to book your place or get further information. All levels welcome.

06/08/2022

Love this post by Dr Steven Lin.

This ties in really well with what we covered in class on Friday. Placing the tongue at the roof of the mouth creates space in the jaw and allows for a happy relaxed jaw. As the jaw has a direct relationship to the nervous system vial the vagus nerve, this can be key in facilitating a happy relaxed nervous system!

If you look at someone’s mouth you can often see how they breathe.

To say it simply, you’re not supposed to breathe through the mouth, ever. The incorrect use of our airway depletes the respiratory immune system, and at the same time imbalances the oral and gut microbiome.

However, many people suffer from symptoms of mouth breathing, and they don’t know it starts with their breath. Today, crooked teeth are a functional consequence of mouth breathing. Nasal breathing allows the upper jaw to expand and fit the upper teeth, and create a wide patent airway.

Your skeletal system moulds around your breathing patterns.

The tongue, is the rudder of oral posture, and should seal to the roof of the mouth. The muscles that connect to the back of the tongue, connect to the back of the throat and base of the skull.

When the tongue is pressed up to the palate, and the back of the tongue is up to fully engage the throat, the cervical spine is engaged.

When the tongue is down, we mouth breath, and the head falls forward due to lack of support.

Exercise tolerance and respiratory muscle strength in relation to forward head posture (FHP) and respiratory mode in children, is far better in kids who nasal breathe, compared to mouth breathers.

Abnormal swallowing patterns and facial characteristics, postural problems may also be present in those who habitually breathe through their mouth. Mouth breathers tend to assume a characteristic posture, carrying their heads forward in order to compensate for the restriction to their airways and make breathing possible.

Exercise capacity is negatively affected by mouth breathing; and that the presence of moderate forward head posture acted as a compensatory mechanism in order to improve respiratory muscle function.

This forward head posture often leads to muscle fatigue, neck pain, tension in the temporomandibular joint area, spinal disc compression, early arthritis, tension headaches, and dental occlusal problems.

If you suffer from jaw pain, neck pain, teeth grinding, then tongue posture and nasal breathing is the way.

Can you relate to this picture?

14/07/2022

Body, breath and mind are intimately connected, so… a change in one has a flow on effect and will be expressed in the other two.

‘Breath Centered Yoga’ is a great way to connect body, breath and mind - experiencing movement as an extension of the breath, the mind naturally becomes quieter.

What a wonderful gift we have in the breath, change your breath - change your life!

26/04/2022

BayYoga classes on now at:

Bateau Bay Community Hall
1 Rushby St, Bateau Bay

Monday and Friday mornings
8.30am - 9.45am

The body, breath and mind are all intimately connected, so when you change one it has a flow on effect and will be expressed in the others…

Please join us for some ‘breath centered yoga’. All ages and abilities welcome.

For bookings and enquiries please email: julie@bayyoga.com.au

24/03/2022

The yoga mat is a great place to begin to notice your breathing patterns… We’d love to have you join us on the 1st or 4th of April for one of our introductory classes!