Are you breathing? I mean, really breathing? Deeply inhaling, thoroughly exhaling? Chances are you’re doing the minimal amount of breathing necessary to keep you alive right now, but probably not taking the extremely beneficial, deep belly breaths that can reduce your stress levels, energize you, and boost your mood.

Don’t worry – I forget to focus on my breath most of the time too. But I’m working on that, since more evidence keeps coming out that shows that focused, intentional breathing can have amazing health benefits. I learned a specific, super easy breathing exercise from Dr. Andrew Weil when he taught at my nutrition school. Since then, whenever I remember, I try to incorporate it throughout my day: a couple of these breaths when the alarm clock goes off; another few in the shower; while waiting for the subway; when I’m preparing to fall asleep at night.

You can check out Dr. Weil’s article on the health benefits of breathing, as well as instructions to do the breathing exercise I mentioned above here: The Art and Science of Breathing