Mindful breathing techniques

Today marks national stress awareness day 2020. So I wanted to share some quick videos with you that can help combat stress no matter where you are. Everybody feels stress In different ways. You might feel ‘brain fog’, overwhelm or rapid heartbeat. Honestly the list is endless but one thing that is proven to lower stress and calm the mind is breathing exercises.

When we breathe deeply it sends messages to our brain that we are ok and safe. By doing this we can start to regain our thoughts and assess the situation we are in.

Here are 3 mindful breathing techniques that can help combat stress.

Calm - Take a deep breath

This is very similar to the first video but is 3 minutes long and prompts a longer exhale.

The exhale is linked to the parasympathetic nervous system, which influences our body’s ability to relax and calm down. So when we lengthen our exhale we prompt those signals of calm to start traveling around our body.

Calm - Breathe Bubble

This is a super short 50 second breathing technique. You follow the circle on the screen to keep your breathing in time.

You can listen to the calming sounds but you can do this video from anywhere even if you keep the sound off.

Great one for just before a big meeting, sat at your desk or as you feel yourself starting to become stressed.

Box Breathing

This is a different technique to the first two videos. This is call box breathing and uses holding your breath as well as counting your inhale and exhale.

Its easier than it sounds

According to the Mayo Clinic - The slow holding of breath allows CO2 to build up in the blood. Increased blood CO2 enhances the cardio-inhibitory response of the vagus nerve when you exhale and stimulates your parasympathetic system. This produces a calm and relaxed feeling in the mind and body.

So when you are feeling stress next, take a few moments for yourself and use these breathing techniques to help promote calm and relaxation in your day!