What the BREATH?!
Breathwork....let me guess you have seen this term used a few times by now. What about 'Mindfulness', 'Mindful breathing', 'Meditation'...all these buzz words floating around but what do they actual mean? Why have they popped up in every facet of our society....in wellbeing workshops, yoga classes even team building days.
Well to put it simply....we have evolved into a society that seems to be running from activity to activity, appointments to meetings, and still find things we "need" to fill our days with. And because of this we begin to hold our breath throughout the day as if breathing a little deeper will take more of our time. All humour aside, this is often an unconscious act and the busier we are, the more we need to create rituals to bring this to the forefront of our minds.
Why is breath so important? The most prevalent mental health disorders are anxiety disorders.* We have only experienced an increase in these over the last few years with many people describing a sense of fear and overwhelm about the world. When we feel uncertain of what is around the corner our bodies nervous system can become dis-regulated. Meaning heart race can increase rapidly, racing thoughts, unable to think clearly about what to do next, unable to plan out your day, and for some a complete sense of being paralysed inside.
This is why I promote beginning with your breath when it comes to managing your mental health. It is the one thing that no matter where you are, always comes with you. Although having some beautifully relaxing music and a nice cup of tea can calm your nervous system, sometimes these are not available to us in the moment when we really need.
I recommend upon waking in the morning before your feet hit the ground, to sit up, and with intention....place one hand on your lower belly, as you inhale feel the belly expand, exhale and feel the belly contract inwards. Repeat this for 3 full breaths. It is important to practice this when you are in your most relaxed state, as the mind is powerful in that it creates associations. So the next time you are feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or anxious feelings begin to take over....come back to your breath. Your mind and body will remember those moments when you practiced this, when you were most relaxed and in turn will begin to regulate your nervous system.
Be patient with the process, it take repetition for the body to learn a new way of being. Deep breathing on one occasion won't bring a speedy sense of calm. This takes time, just as training a muscle takes time to build. The rewards in the end can be endless. Breath supports every organ and cell in the body.
So as you may be racing through this article, I leave you with.....deep breath in....deep breath out....deep breath in....deep breath out.
