Many of us in today’s busy world will suffer from stress and anxiety at some point in our lives. The pressures of work, finances and family take their toll as we struggle to stay afloat, or struggle to get ahead. One of the most basic symptoms of stress is feeling like you have no time to yourself to relax and rejuvenate. This sense of pressure becomes a belief, and you might even endlessly postpone your relaxation time. One of the most important things about stress and anxiety is learning to slow down and take some time out to do things that effectively relieve your stress. However, for the times when you’re really in the thick of it, it is well worth learning some calming breathing techniques that can be done while driving, commuting, or even at the office.
By learning to breathe deeply and calmly into your abdomen, you will immediately be able to control your state of mind. Deepening your breath by breathing further into your belly brings more oxygen into your body, especially your brain. This will help you to think more clearly and maintain a sense of focus and balance throughout the day. When you are breathing deeply your heart doesn’t need to work so hard, and the slowing of the pulse rate will offset any buildup of anxiety.
If you can learn to pause your thought processes for just a few minutes while you concentrate on abdominal breathing, your mind will completely slow down. As you breathe in through your nose be aware of the cooling air coming in through your nostrils. Notice your belly expand and then, breathing out through your mouth, feel the warm air flowing past your lips as your belly contracts. Continue concentrating on these sensations until you feel calm and steady.
When you’ve mastered this practice, you can develop it further by adding a healing and rejuvenating visualisation. Simply visualise pure healing white light entering your body through your breath as you breathe in. See your lungs and your whole body fill with light and positivity as you visualise the energy pervading your body through your blood and veins. While exhaling, imagine the stress and negativity leaving your body along with the breath.
Learning how to breathe properly will help calm you down and enable you to improve your responses to stressful situations. All it takes is a little practice and patience to learn this straightforward technique. If, in a stressful situation, you can just breathe deeply and concentrate on the sensation of your breath for a few seconds, your mental health and general wellbeing will improve significantly. It is surprising that considering how important our breathing is how many people don’t know how to do it properly! We should all learn how to relax and breathe deeply, and enjoy the enhanced sense of wellness that comes with it.
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