“Just Breathe”. Don’tcha Cringe when you hear that advice?
I can remember hearing that direction throughout my whole life (mostly from my mom after something traumatic went down in my teens or early 20’s). Then, my anesthesiologist yelling in my face “you have to relax” and “breathe” as I was about to be cut open for an unwanted c-section that had me in a state of serious panic, and now I hear myself or husband gently quoting Daniel the Tiger to Liv to “take a breath and count to four” when her emotions overwhelm her.
“Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.”
What’s “breathwork”? And why should I do it?
The medical definition of breathwork is: conscious, controlled breathing done especially for relaxation, meditation, or therapeutic purposes
The Infamous Dr. Weil says “[Mindful Breathing] is more powerful than any of the anti-anxiety drugs commonly prescribed.”
Dr. Andrew Weil teaches the 4-7-8 breathing technique, which can help with the following:
reduce anxiety
help get to sleep
manage cravings
control or reduce anger responses
The 4-7-8 Breathing Technique:
Hold the tip of your tongue at the roof of your mouth, just behind your teeth
Inhale for 4 seconds
Hold for 7 seconds
Exhale for 8 seconds, making a "whoosh" sound (really let it all out)
I'm in to this method more than others because it forces you to focus on your inhale, hold + exhale rather than your monkey mind thoughts. If you tend to face anxiety, worry or difficulty falling asleep, the 4-7-8 count is known for helping you slip into a relaxed state, so give it a whirl at bedtime too. This count of breathing has also been declared by Dr. Weil as "much more powerful than any of the anti-anxiety drugs commonly prescribed".
**Tips: No more than four cycles of this breathing until you've practiced for a few weeks. It's normal to not be able to hold your breath for the full 7 seconds when you start, just hold for as long as you feel comfortable until you're able to reach 7 seconds.
More Good News…
According to HealthLine, People practice breathwork for a variety of reasons. Overall, it’s thought to bring about improvements in emotional state and to decrease levels of stress, in otherwise healthy people.
People practice breathwork to:
aid positive self-development
boost immunity
process emotions, heal emotional pain and trauma
develop life skills
develop or increase self-awareness
enrich creativity
improve personal and professional relationships
increase confidence, self-image, and self-esteem
increase joy and happiness
overcome addictions
reduce stress and anxiety levels
release negative thoughts
Breathwork is used to help to improve a wide range of issues including:
anger issues
anxiety
chronic pain
depression
emotional effects of illness
grief
trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Yep, you’ve guessed it. mindful breathing is basically the most powerful tool in the holistic tool-kit to improve the everyday aliments we all experience.
After all, Oxygen is Life.
Check out some additional breathing solutions to help heal:
My favorite, that I’ve shared in last week’s “wellthier wednesday” is the 4-7-8 breathing technique.
There’s also:
Mindful breathing with guided imagery
Tai Chi
Grounding Exercises
Breathwork for Trauma
If you’re ready to improve your mental clarity, boost your immune system, feel more confident in your decision-making, breathe easier (pun intended) and just be in more control over your reactions to life’s curve balls, take the first step by grabbing your freebie call here.
When you’ve got a few minutes, to take care of you…check out this short Tedx, Change Your Breath, Change Your World.
You’ve probably guessed it, but there’s really no reason you shouldn’t take mindful breaths each day.
I invite you now to give yourself the gift of one deep inhale, hold and exhale before you get on with your day.
With love + gratitude,
Laura