By Richmond Natural Medicine

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June 11, 2018

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Taking a moment or two to still your mind and focus on your breath is perhaps one of the most simple yet effective self-care tools that we all have in our toolbox.

Nearly every single person carries with them a heavy load of stress (whether consciously or unconsciously).  Stress affects every single part of your body from your sleep to your joints to your digestion and to your ability to focus. Each one of us holds stress differently and it presents in often subtle ways. Stress can be expressed as constant headaches or agitation, or maybe just feeling abrupt with your family or perhaps unable to handle change well. For almost everyone, however, stress is held within our nervous system and is what is referred to as our “fight or flight” response. Over time, this intense build up of stress (i.e long term or chronic stress) can lead to a tightening of our nervous system.  As a result, one might feel less flexible and adaptable and even resistant to take on new challenges. This is where breathwork is absolutely irreplaceable as a self-care technique.

When we take even 5 seconds to pause, close our eyes and take a deep full body breath, we begin to unwind tension from our central nervous system and reset our stress response. You will notice this effect immediately once you begin practicing breathwork. You will feel your shoulders loosen, your headspace lighten, your digestion improve and your mood lift.

If you’re just starting out with intentional breathwork, you may notice that about 1 minute after you’ve taken your deep, long full body breath, all of your tension and stress return immediately. This is normal. For many of us, stress is our default emotional response even when we are not in actively stressful situations. We often always feel stressed and experience these symptoms of stress as our “normal”, and this is when it’s more beneficial to incorporate breathwork into your day.

Repetition is key and setting reminders on your phone to take a long, deep, full body breath every 10 minutes is an excellent practice to start with. You can also choose landmarks to help you remember to breathe, such as taking a breath at every red light or put a reminder on your desk at work. These simple, easy practices are often the most helpful but also the first to be forgotten.

Technique:  Box Breathing

Instructions:

Sit or lay still with your eyes closed and imagine a one dimensional 4 sided box.  On the bottom line, breathe in deeply for 5 seconds. On the side, hold this breath in your body for 5 seconds. On the top line, exhale completely for 5 seconds. On the other side line, sit with empty lungs for 5 seconds. Repeat this practice at least 3 times when you have a racing mind or heart, or to ease stress and aid in sleep.

This simple 60 seconds practice will help to calm your entire body and relax your nervous system, allowing you to begin again. Do this as often as you need – any time of day or night – especially during times you know to be stressful triggers such as a work environment or sitting in traffic.

Consider scheduling a session with our Mindfulness/Meditation instructor, Lindsey Wrable for deeper practice with these techniques.

About the Author:

Lindsay Kluge is a Clinical Herbalist & Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist and received her Masters of Science degree in Herbal Medicine from the Maryland University of Integrative Health in 2012. She has been with Richmond Natural Medicine since 2013, and specializes in therapeutic holistic nutrition, circadian rhythm balance and sleep physiology, digestion, and Ayurvedic nutrition. She offers individualized nutrition and herbal medicine consultations that include meal planning support, custom compounded herbal formulas, nutrition guidance and general wellness support.  Learn more about services that Lindsay offers at Richmond Natural Medicine by clicking HERE.