Inhale-Exhale is an online singing course designed for people with Long-Haul Covid who are living with breathlessness and/or anxiety.
The course teaches healthy breathing through breath and body awareness exercises, improved posture, and singing. Participants (re)discover their breath, find improved well-being, and connect with other people living with Long-Haul Covid.
Why does singing help? Life events, such as illness, can leave the body’s autonomic nervous system in a state of partial and continual “fight-or-flight” mode. The deep, slow, and relaxed breaths learned through breathing exercises, and reinforced through singing, help rebalance the body into the opposite state of “rest-and-digest” for improved healing. Further, breathing muscles are like any other: if you exercise them, in this case through singing, they become stronger.
Read more in the Globe and Mail article.
Early indicators are promising:
Most participants found the course helped with their breathing
Participants’ anxiety scores improved, in two cases significantly
Participants generally had improved scores across the wellness measures
All participants rated their experience of the course as either very good or good
“More holistic than I was expecting. It was helpful in calming my nerves and breathing more naturally. Helped me get out of my head and into my body. I can breathe through things that come up in my day that would have previously set me back.”
“I have thoroughly enjoyed the course and would highly recommend. I struggle with anxiety and the breathing exercises and body awareness have had a very calming effect on my state of well being. I find myself using the exercise for breathing and body posture spontaneously and if I wake during the night I can easily return to sleep with amy’s voice in the back of my head walking through the breathing exercises.”
“I feel like I’ve been able to re-establish a relationship with my breath. Breathing is still a challenge but it’s getting easier!”
“I very much enjoyed this course and our weekly meetings. The course has improved my mindfulness around breathing and body positioning.”
“It was really great to learn from Amy and also to connect with fellow long covid survivors.”
Do I need to be a singer? No! Participants do not need to be singers or have any interest in music.
Which language is the course taught in? English
Is there a cost? The fee is pay-what-you-can from $100-$600. ($100 doesn’t cover expenses; $600 covers your expenses and helps someone else.)
How do I know if this is a good fit for me and my health? There is a simple, two-part screening process to make sure the course suits your needs.
How long is the course? 1 hour per week for 8 weeks.
Where is the course available? In Canada to anyone online.
Dors, dors, le petit bébé. C’est le beau petit bébé à maman.
Dors, dors, dors, dors,
dors, dors, le bébé à maman.
Demain s’y fait beau j’irons au grandpére;
Dors, dors, dors le petit bébé.
Dors, dors, dors, dors,
dors, dors, le bébé à maman.
E l’uccellino canta sulla fronda: Dormi tranquillo, boccuccia d’amore; Piegala giù quella testina bionda, Della tua mamma posala sul cuore.
E l’uccellino canta su quel ramo, Tante cosine belle imparerai, Ma se vorrai conoscer quant’io t’amo, Nessuno al mondo potrà dirlo mai!
E l’uccellino canta al ciel sereno; Dormi tesoro mio qui sul mio seno.
Soprano, Amy Steggles
Piano, Neil Reimer
(The course is inspired by the successful ENO Breathe program in the United Kingdom.)
This audio is for you if:
Includes downloadable MP3 file + cover art
Copyright © 2023 Amy Steggles