Take One Deep Breath...Everything will be ok.
A simple and effective breathing technique to take down your stress and anxiety in a few minutes
The common phrase that we have all heard before…even from the moment we were very little….
“Take a deep breath…everything is going to be ok….”
I want to take a moment and talk about this amazing concept. One that I am not sure we are all really taking in completely. It is actually possible to take a breath and feel better! The body will actually calm down and bring itself out of a “fight or flight” state if we actually slow down enough to take a deep breath.
How cool is that?
So how in the world does taking a deep breath calm you down? Let me help you understand a little more about how our bodies work. Your autonomic nervous system, which is in charge of actions in the body like heart rate and digestion, has two parts. The first part is the sympathetic nervous system, this controls your fight or flight response (like running away from that saber tooth tiger) and the second part is the parasympathetic nervous system, and this controls the rest and relax response.
Both of the parts of the nervous system are always working, when we actually incorporate deep breathing exercises we can quiet the sympathetic nervous system and it will lower those stress and anxiety responses.
I want to introduce you to a breathing exercise that can help you come out of an anxious and overwhelmed state in a few simple steps!
Alternate Nostril Breathing Technique or also known as Nadi Shodhana is a simple yet powerful technique that settles the mind, body, and emotions and down regulates the body. This technique can be used before meditation, for stressful moments in your day, or even to help you fall asleep at the end of a big day.
So, next time you are struggling with overwhelm, life feels like way too much and the stress is taking over, I invite you to try this technique!
ALTERNATE NOSTRIL BREATHING STEP BY STEP:
Take a comfortable and tall seat, making sure your spine is straight and your heart is open.
Relax your left palm comfortably into your lap and bring your right hand just in front of your face.
With your right hand, bring your pointer finger and middle finger to rest between your eyebrows, lightly using them as an anchor. The fingers we’ll be actively using are the thumb and ring finger.
Close your eyes and take a deep breath in and out through your nose.
Close your right nostril with your right thumb. Inhale through the left nostril slowly and steadily.
Close the left nostril with your ring finger so both nostrils are held closed; retain your breath at the top of the inhale for a brief pause.
Open your right nostril and release the breath slowly through the right side; pause briefly at the bottom of the exhale.
Inhale through the right side slowly.
Hold both nostrils closed (with ring finger and thumb).
Open your left nostril and release breath slowly through the left side. Pause briefly at the bottom.
Repeat 5-10 cycles, allowing your mind to follow your inhales and exhales.
Check out this video, for a visual guide to working through this technique. Allow yourself to fumble a few times, you will get the rhythm of it, I promise! Then, you will notice a HUGE difference in how your body feels, and how you are able to lower those stress responses!