Learn how to breathe
Working with your breath and learning how to use breathwork is a good way to soothe your thoughts and reduce stress. Breathwork is an active form of meditation that allows us to disconnect from the mind and be guided by our body and heart. Just like meditation, it lowers blood pressure and gives you better focus and concentration. There are also different ways and methods of doing breathwork, find a way that works for you. Preferably, combine breathwork with your daily meditation.
Three ways of breathwork
The 4-4-4-4 breathing technique:
Also known as square breathing. To practice this technique, start by releasing all of the air from your chest and hold your breath for 4 seconds. Then breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 4 seconds and exhale out of the nose for 4 seconds. Repeat this breathing cycle for 5 minutes for the best effect.
The 4-7-8 breathing technique:
A technique that helps your body to calm down by slowing the heart rate and the nervous system. To practice this technique, start with emptying the lungs of air. Breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, and exhale out of the mouth for 8 seconds. Repeat this breathing cycle at least 4 times.
The 5-5 breathing technique:
The most basic breathing technique is ideal for an overall sense of calm. Our natural breath rate is usually around 2-3 seconds, but 5-5 is a controlled and conscious breathing practice that slows down your breathing rate. To practice this technique, start to focus on the natural rhythm of your breathing and observe the length of each inhale and exhale. Then for one minute, breathe in for 4 seconds and exhale for 4 seconds. Expand this to breath in/exhale for 5 seconds, then 6 seconds, and gradually increase to 10 seconds. If you want to, you can work your way up to 20 seconds with this technique.
