How often have you heard the words “just breathe” spoken to people who look like they are ready to explode due to a stressful situation?
It’s good advice. According to Reader’s Digest’s Stealth Health, proper breathing is very important when you are suffering from stress or anxiety. At times like these, many people resort to chest breathing — the type of big, desperate inhales and exhales that make you rapidly puff up and deflate your chest.
Chest breathing does have a purpose, but only in times of extreme emotional arousal or physical challenge. Chest breathing comes from our “fight-or-flight” instinct. In those types of physically dangerous situations it is necessary, but not for everyday stress or anxiety.
To regain healthy breathing during periods of anxiety, doctors suggest you lie on the floor and place your hand on your chest. Using your hand as a gauge, try to reduce the amount of chest movement, while continuing to breathe normally. You don’t want your chest to move; you want the other parts of your body to take over the breathing — using your diaphragm instead of the big chest inhales and exhales. Do this for five minutes.
Stress management experts say we should take 40 deep breaths each day. One way to integrate breathing into your day is to think of a trigger that happens throughout your day. For example:
• It could be the phone ringing. Each time the phone rings, take a deep belly breath and wait and answer the phone on the second ring.
• Every time you’re waiting in line or stuck in traffic, it is an opportune time to take a deep breath.
• Set your watch to beep every 45 minutes. At those intervals, take a deep breath.
Remember, deep breathing calms and relaxes the mind — almost immediately.
