Keeping you alive is a very important task! Every second of every day, your extraordinary body automatically breathes in and out, inhaling life sustaining oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide waste. Most of us hardly ever give breathing a thought.
Yet did you know that by focusing on your breathing – especially deep breathing – you have the power to calm your body and mind, lower your blood pressure, and increase our sense of well-being? Deep breathing can actually change your emotional state in the moment. It can reduce feelings of overwhelm, worry, frustration, guilt, shame, etc., and at the same time elevate feelings of calm, joy, happiness, being in control, etc.! The results are greater clarity, creativity, and relaxation as well as less anxiety, fear, and overall symptoms of stress. Pretty amazing!
The next time you feel stressed out – irritated, annoyed, worried, anxious, fearful, angry, etc. – try one of the following very simple yet very powerful breathing techniques to reduce your level of emotional distress and feel more in control.
1. Four by Four – Great for those times when you are feeling anxious, worried, or just out of sorts.
- Start by inhaling through your nose deeply and slowly for four seconds;
- Exhale through your nose for another four seconds;
- Repeat at least 4 times – and as often as you like.
2. In for 7, Out fo 11 – Try this when you are in a tense situation, aggravated or tempers are running high.
- Start by breathing deeply in through your nose, filling your belly, to a count of 7;
- Then breath out slowly through your mouth to a count of 11;
- Repeat at least 3 times and as often as you want. (You most likely will notice that your counting – thus your breathing – slows down with each round of breathing in and out. This is an indication that your body and mind are calming.)
- Especially useful to calm emotions when your buttons have been pushed, and when feeling anxious, fearful or worried.
3. Progressive Slow Breathing and Relaxation – Wonderful to use in order to quiet and calm an over-active, worried, or ‘monkey’ mind, especially when it interferes with falling or going back to sleep.
- This technique involves your muscles along with slow, deep breathing, and works best while sitting a chair with a back or lying down.
- You are going to work your way up your body tensing one muscle group at a time while slowly breathing in, then releasing that muscle group while breathing out.
- Close your eyes and keep them closed the whole time;
- Tense the muscles of your toes and feet by curling your toes tightly while slowly breathing in through the nose;
- Release the tension in your toes and feet while slowly breathing out through the nose;
- Next move to your ankles and lower legs, repeating the tensing/breathing in, then releasing/breathing out;
- Move on to your thighs; then your butt; your stomach; your chest; your hands and lower arms; shoulders and neck; and finally your face by squeezing your lips and eyes tightly as you breathe in.
- With very little practice, you will fined that you get into an easy slow rhythm of tensing and inhaling, releasing and exhaling.
- (Beware! Oftentimes, people who do this in bed report falling asleep before they have even completed the entire techniques!)
Send us a quick email comment as to which of these techniques you used and what your experience was. Enjoy
Warmly,
Pamela & Brad