Join us for Mental Health Month, where we go beyond surviving and focus on THRIVING!
In today’s installation, we are focusing on breathing exercises for our mental health. According to the Michigan University of Medicine:
Deep breathing is one of the best ways to lower stress in the body. This is because when you breathe deeply, it sends a message to your brain to calm down and relax. The brain then sends this message to your body. Those things that happen when you are stressed, such as increased heart rate, fast breathing, and high blood pressure, all decrease as you breathe deeply to relax.
Stress Management: Breathing Exercises for Relaxation
Life can be stressful. Taking time to focus on healthy breathing exercises have has a ton of benefits, including:
• It helps you relax, lowering the harmful effects of the stress hormone cortisol on your body.
• It lowers your heart rate.
• It helps lower your blood pressure.
• It helps you cope with the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• It improves your core muscle stability.
• It improves your body’s ability to tolerate intense exercise.
• It lowers your chances of injuring or wearing out your muscles.
• It slows your rate of breathing so that it expends less energy.
So how do we practice deep breathing exercises? Here are a few options to consider!
Belly Breathing
Source: ClevelandClinic.org
- Lie on your back on a flat surface or in bed, with your knees bent and your head supported. You can use a pillow under your knees to support your legs.
- Place one hand on your upper chest and the other just below your rib cage. This will allow you to feel your diaphragm move as you breathe.
- Breathe in slowly through your nose so that your stomach moves out, causing your hand to rise. The hand on your chest should remain as still as possible.
- Tighten your stomach muscles, so that your stomach moves in, causing your hand to lower as you exhale through pursed lips (see “Pursed Lip Breathing Technique”). The hand on your upper chest should remain as still as possible.
Box Breathing
Source: WebMD
- Sit in a chair, stand, or lie down on your back with one hand on your chest and one hand on your stomach. When you sit on a chair, ensure that your back is supported and your feet are firmly on the floor.
- Breathe as you would normally for a minute.
- Observe the rise and fall of your chest and stomach.
- If you notice that your chest is rising but your stomach is not, you are shallow breathing. If your stomach is rising, you are deep breathing, activating full relaxation in your body.
- Be aware of your breath to ensure that you are taking deep breaths, allowing your stomach to rise.
- If you are lying down or seated on a chair, you will feel your back pressed against the surface when you take a deep breath.
- If this is your first time practicing box breathing, push your stomach out while focusing on smooth, deep breaths.
Take it to the next level: Four Steps to Master Box Breathing
- Breathe in, counting to four slowly. Feel the air enter your lungs.
- Hold your breath for 4 seconds. Try to avoid inhaling or exhaling for 4 seconds.
- Slowly exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds.
- Repeat steps 1 to 3 until you feel re-centered.
6 Ways to Practice Grounding
SOURCE: Minding Matters
- Body – lay on the ground, press your toes into the floor, squeeze playdough
- 5 Senses – wear your favorite sweatshirt, use essential oils, make a cup of tea
- Self-Soothe – take a show or bath, find a grounding object, light a candle
- Observe – describe an object in detail: color, texture, shadow, light, shapes
- Breathe – practive 4-7-8 breathing: inhale to 4, hold for 7, exhale to 8
- Distract – find all the square or green objects in the room, count by 7s, say the date
Consider printing the breathing techniques and posting them in common places you spend time – the living room, on the refrigerator, in the bathroom, or on your nightstand. That way you can quickly reference a simple technique to spend a few minutes focusing on breathing exercises.
If you are looking for something more interactive, the St. Louis Art Museum has an awesome “Show Art Experience” where you can breathe along with some fantastic art!
