"I breathe in my courage and exhale my fear".
- Quote from Jonathan Lockwood Huie
To breathe is a basic human function that can detox and revitalize a body in a few short minutes, but most of us don’t take full advantage of it. Deep breathing helps lower your blood pressure, calm your heart rate and aid digestion. Breath is also connected to emotions and mood. Think about when you feel anger or fear – what is your breath like in those moments? I bet it’s short and shallow! If you change your breath to be slow, deep and consistent in stressful situations you can actually change your mood – in a sense you exhale your anger or fear and are more able to remain calm. Breath work can be a great tool to work against anxiety. One method that I like is “square breathing”, give it a try!
1. Relax and focus on your breath as best you can
2. Breath into your stomach for 4 seconds (or longer if you like)
3. Hold your breath for 4 seconds
4. Exhale evenly for 4 seconds
5. Hold your empty lungs for 4 seconds
6. Repeat until you feel content
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