Note to Self - Don't Forget to Breathe

“You can’t calm the storm… so stop trying. What you can do is calm yourself. The storm will pass.”

Timber Hawkeye

An effective strategy for calming yourself during stressful times/anxiety provoking situations is breathing for relaxation.

Breathing for Relaxation

• Get comfy

• Place a hand on your stomach and take a slow deep breath in for around *three to four seconds (your stomach should expand as you breathe in - worth practising as it takes a bit of getting used to)

• Hold your breath for *one to three seconds

• Release your breath slowly for *three to six seconds (your stomach should contract whilst breathing out)

• Aim for at least *20 slow breaths

• If you find your mind wandering back to your worries, you can try these strategies:

• Visualize breathing in 'RELAXATION' and breathing out 'STRESS & TENSION'

• Count your breaths (e.g., breathe in one - breath out one, breathe in two - breathe out two, etc.)

• Tap into a pleasant memory (e.g., a recent holiday)

* Through practise you will establish the timing that works best for you/that you are most comfortable with :)

References

(2016). Relaxation Techniques: Breath control helps quell errant stress response. Harvard Health Publications. Retrieved from http://www.health.harvard.edu/ mind-and-mood/relaxation-techniques-breath-control-helps-quell-errant-stress-response

Reddy, S (2015). Breathing for your better health. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://www.wsj.com/articles/breathing-for-your-better-health-1422311283