Breathing techniques for stress relief

We all had that week when we felt the more we kept getting from one meeting to the next, putting up with a loud neighbor or a demanding household, the more we felt that we had too much on our plate and not much energy left.

Sometimes the world demands more attention and energy than we feel we can give. During these times, it is important to keep our self-care practices in place, to ask for support, and to possibly take a good vacation if we have the chance.

On top of that, I am going to suggest a couple of simple breathing techniques which can change the way we carry ourselves, improve our energy and hopefully build resilience as we practice them.

Breathing is something that we do every single day, all the time, yet we never think about it.

I would ask you to stop and reflect for a moment: are you breathing? Your answer will likely be "yes, of course, what kind of question is that!?". However, you would be surprised about how many poor breathers walk the Earth everyday. I know because I have been one of them, for quite some time.

Our breath has the power to oxigenante our entire body, and in doing so, it is a primary source of energy for our internal organs. The breath is also a powerful tool to teach our nervous system how to relax. When we are breathing deeply, we are sending a signal to our bodies that we are safe, and in turn, our nervous system relaxes.

Below are two simple breathing techniques which can be used in private or on the go, without your boss even noticing, whenever you are experiencing stress.

1. Interrupted breathing- Viloma pranayama If you're alone, place a hand on your heart and the other hand on your belly. If in disguise (i.e. during a challenging work meeting on Teams with your favorite people), do this hands free. Just focus on the movements of your belly. Inhale until full, pause at the top of your inhale, take in an extra sip of air, pause, then exhale slowly, pause at the bottom of your exhale, then inhale again to repeat this for a minimum of 4/5 rounds.
2. Box breathing- Sama vritti This is a versatile breathing technique, which works wonders when you need a short break in between tasks. Inhale to a count of 4 seconds, pause for 4, exhale to a count of 4, then pause for 4 and inhale again to repeat this for 4/5 rounds

When you start practicing, don't get too stuck on the counting. If you lose track, just begin again, and always remember to be kind to yourself :)

Namastè

Noemi - Heal.Evolve.Hub