Your body under stress
When you have a stressful situation happen, or someone treats you in a way that causes stress, your body releases the stress hormones, adrenaline and cortisol. Your body prepares for emergency action, like running for your life or fighting an enemy. Many times, you may not even notice this is happening. You just get home and have a tension headache, or you feel exhausted.
Over time, with chronic stress, you may experience symptoms like weight gain, high blood pressure, lethargy, brain fog, headaches, and many other health symptoms. That’s why it is important that you take measures daily to reduce the effects of stress.
3 Breathing exercises that will help immediately
By doing breathing exercises that slow your breathing, you can send a message to your brain that you are safe and there is no need to fight or flee. Use these exercises any time you feel like you are about to react to a situation unfavorably, when you feel yourself breathing faster, or when you feel overwhelmed by crowds or noises. They are useful for any stressful situation. You can also use these breathing exercises on a daily basis for prevention.
- 3 Deep Breaths- There’s really nothing special to this one. It’s the easiest way to feel better quickly. Whenever you notice you are feeling tense, relax your arms and shoulders. Relax your jaw. Take 3 deep breaths through your nose and exhale slowly through your mouth. (There’s really no magic number, just take deep breaths until you feel calmer.) As you breathe, watch your belly expand. As you exhale, watch your belly contract. You can do this exercise discretely by taking your deep breaths quietly in the middle of your meeting, in line at the post office, etc.
- Square Breathing- This breathing method is based on the number 4. You will inhale through your nose for a count of 4. Hold for a count of 4, exhale for a count of 4 and then hold for a count of 4 again.
- 4-7-8 Breathing- Dr. Andrew Weil says this method, after 2 months of daily use, is effective for lowering heart rate, reducing blood pressure, improving digestion, and is a powerful method for relieving anxiety. Breathe in for a count of 4 through your nose, hold for a count of 7, and then exhale with a whoosh for a count of 8 through your mouth. Do 4 cycles, two times a day for maximum benefits.
Try one of these breathing exercises the next time you have a stressful moment or try them daily for prevention or reduction of chronic stress symptoms. Let me know if they work for you!
Join my Facebook group, Rebooting Health For Empaths to get a free e-book on 10 Ways To Get More Energy. If you are wanting to start a morning routine that can help you reduce stress and improve healthy habits, I have a mini course called, Transformational Morning Routine For Empaths. You can check that out and my other coaching programs here.
