breathing exercises
Breathing ... it's something that can be both passive and active, and can impact your quality of life if it is impaired. It can be a completely autonomic (passive), happening without any conscious effort on you part. Did you know that breathing can be dramatically impacted by emotions, stress and anxiety. Conscious breathing directs your awareness to the qualities of your breath, is it shallow and fast or deep and slow, and can allow your body to shift away from a sympathetic nervous system response (fight or flight) and back to a more restful and restorative pathway. Find the breathing exercise that resonates most with you, one you find simple to practice and use as a tool to combat stress and anxiety on the fly. The exercises below are all ones that I have been taught over the years, I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
Deep breathingDeep breathing can help to calm your nervous system by focusing on slow deep breaths.
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ocean breathThis is a very calming breathing exercise. Try to make your exhale double the length of your inhale (ex. inhale 3 - exhale 6).
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Sun breathSun breath gives energy, courage, and warmth just like the sun. This is a wonderful exercise to start your day. Try to keep your inhale and exhale equal.
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moon breathMoon breath is very nourishing and calming. It is helpful before bed if you have trouble with sleep, if you need to physically cool your body, or calm your mind. Try to keep your inhale and exhale equal.
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Box breathThis is a great breathing exercise to help calm stress and anxiety. If you are unable to hold each part to a count of 4 start with a lower count and as your breath calms increase your count.
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snake breathSnake breath is wonderful for removing excitement or hyper energy and anger, making it great for kids who are bouncing off the walls or when your are fuming.
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