Breathe Away Stress

Breathing is something we do (and don’t do) without even thinking about it. Anytime you do something on auto-pilot, there’s a chance you could be missing something.

Take a moment now to focus in on your breath. What do you notice? Is your breathing long, deep, and slow? Or more short, shallow, and fast? Are you holding your breath? If you are experiencing any stress, chances are you are taking short, shallow breaths. And if you experience stress often, you likely breathe this way most of the time without even realizing it. This means your body and brain aren’t getting the oxygen they need to adequately respond to stress.

But taking time to be aware of and adjust your breathing is important for other reasons besides managing stress. Our breath supports us in our emotional, physical, and spiritual health. When faced with any kind of challenge, be sure that your breathing will be affected. Have you ever caught yourself holding your breath when getting bad news or watching a scary movie?

Here are some tips to change things up a bit and bring some awareness to your breathing so you can manage that stress:

• If you notice you are breathing shallow, focus on taking long, deep breaths to fill up your lungs.
• Make sure you breathe all the way out.
• Set a timer for 5 minutes and continue to focus on your breathing during that time.
• Set a reminder to focus on your breathing several times throughout the day.
• Focus on a word as you breathe in (such as calm, peace, love, etc.)
• Focus on releasing any tension in your body as you breathe out.

The best time to practice new breathing techniques (or any new techniques for that matter) is during times of low stress so that your body can get used to something new. The more you practice, the easier it will be to use these new techniques when you really need them.

For even more great breathing tips, check out the Back to Balance Meditations, Volume 1: Using the Breath.