Breathing For Stress Relief
Are you feeling overwhelmed? I am grateful to be safe at home with my family, but the anxiety I have felt during this time has left my body yearning for relief. Breathing techniques are key to giving your mind a break from stressors and anxiety. I am going to walk you through a few steps to show you how breathing can ease your stress.
These techniques can be done at home, in your car, at work, practically everywhere. Breathing is something that we all do, but actually being present with your breathing is key to feeling the benefits it can bring your mind.
Breathing Mindfully
My shoulders feel like rocks and can get high-set and some days I wake up with a heavy knot of anxiety below my ribs, center, breathing area. This area is known as the diaphragm. The muscle that expands as we take a deep breath. Anxiety keeps me from feeling focused and grounded. These are the days I am mindful to take deep breaths, move from one task to another while trying to keep my brain still.
Is sounds like such a cliché, to take a deep breath. But a conscience, aware, belly breath resets the nervous system pattern that internally holds tension and stress.
Breathe Like A Baby
Did you know that babies don’t breathe from the chest like adults do? A baby’s belly expands forward and big while they breathe. Deep diaphragmatic breaths will expand the entire belly out in front of you – like pregnant belly!
Finding An Aroma
One of my favorite aromas is lavender. It’s a well-know essential oil that will aid in easing your stress. Here are a few of my recommended Aveda products to help you calm yourself at home or on-the-go.
Stress-Relieving Aromas
Whichever aroma appeals to you in a stressful moment is the one that will help balance you. Use the aroma you enjoy! This can be as simple as taking it out for a moment, inhaling a few deep breaths, and going on. You can do it wherever you are.
Breathing Techniques
Once you have found the aroma that works best for your body, you can being to practice these breathing techniques.
Breathing: Step 1 | Quiet Your Mind
When you inhale the aroma of choice, close your eyes. It will help your senses focus on the aroma and not everything around you. Be in that moment, try to push the stressful thoughts out of your brain. Imagine yourself as a stopped car on the side of the highway. Let the thoughts be the other cars still zipping by on the highway.
Breathing: Step 2 | Mudras
Grounding mudras (hand placements) can play a big role in your breath work.
Place your right hand on your right leg, where it falls into place naturally. For me that’s on the quadricep muscle, the top front leg. While you take your deep breath in slowly, plug your left nostril with your left hand. Exhale slowly thru right nostril. Next, repeat on the other side.
This might feel a little strange, but the best part of trying it is if you do feel silly; that distraction alone made you forget your anxiety, even if for a minute!
Breathing: Step 3 | Mantras
The final piece that can give your mind a boost is finding a grounding mantra (saying) to say in your head. “Attuned to the Earth’s stability, I move confidently along my life journey.”
You can find mantras ideas online or create your own personal mantra to give you a sense of peace.
Aroma, breath, mudras and mantras are essential for giving your mind a moment of wellness. Each step you combine will help you feel uplifted, calm and refreshed.
