Relieving Stress with your Breath
Hello you beautiful Soul -
How are you handling stress these days? In 2019 I wrote a blog post “Take a Deep Breath” and I would like to reshare this post as I find this topic coming up daily in conversations with clients, other healers and in the collective. I will also be hosting a free webinar on the topic this month which will follow up with a 4-part breath work series in the month of May. This is to continue to bring awareness on the breath and the profound ways it can help in bringing one back to self.
If you want to observe incredible breathing, watch a newborn while they are peacefully asleep. They naturally practice deep (or diaphragmatic) breathing by using the diaphragm to pull air into the lungs. Visually, you’ll see the belly expand and chest rise as they inhale air through the nose and into the lungs. As they exhale, the belly contracts.
For most of us, this kind of breathing is no longer instinctive. Due to everyday stresses (work, bills, traffic, parenting, etc), our breathing patterns shift and we find ourselves breathing shallow in our chest, which overloads our nervous system and puts our body and mind in a constant state of fight or flight. This can lead to anxiety, depression, panic attacks and fatigue. The chronic stress of shallow breathing can also lower the white blood cells that help defend the body from invading organisms, which then lowers the immune system. Shallow breathing patterns can also create physical tension in other parts of the body – tension in the shoulders, neck & chest pain, headaches and increase in injury.
A practice of mindful breath awareness only 3-5 minutes, several times a day, can have profound overall health benefits. It can lower blood pressure, reduce heart rate, relax muscles, decrease stress and increase energy levels. Deep breathing also grounds your thoughts and helps the mind stay focused and alert.
Below is a simple mindful breath awareness exercise that can be practiced anywhere.
Breath Awareness Practice
Come to an easy and comfortable seated position, with the spine nice and long. (You can also practice breath awareness standing, both feet on the ground - while you're doing dishes, standing in line at grocery store, etc)
With soft gaze, eyes open or closed, bring your awareness to your breath.
If you mind wanders, do not get lost in the story, simple bring your awareness back to your breath.
Slowly take a deep breath in, filling the space in your lungs, heart, back of your heart, shoulders and floating to the top of your head.
Pause, then slowly feeling the air release all the way down to your belly as your belly softens, feeling yourself become present.
Repeat 3-5 minutes with each inhale filling up and expanding and on the exhales, softening and settling in your body.
After several minutes, take some time and notice your body and your surroundings. How are you feeling? How are the sights, sounds and sensations around you? Do you feel calmer and more present?
I hope this breath awareness exercise helps! Be sure to join me for one of my free classes and/or events this month and follow me on Instagram (Dena Totaro & The Crystal Medium) for more holistic healing tool and tips to help balance your mind body and spirit!
Much love and blessings,
Dena