Stress Awareness Month- Space to Breathe

Sometimes, we all need to find space to breathe, whether it’s doing an activity we enjoy or being present in the moment, finding time to just be. After all, we are human ‘beings’, not human ‘doings’. If life is getting a bit too much, then it’s important to take a step back. In this blog and as part of Stress Awareness Month, we’re taking a look at breathing techniques for stress and anxiety and how you can put more joy into your life to find your own ‘happy place’.

Breathing techniques

Focusing on the breath and regulating it can be a naturally calming tool to combat symptoms of stress and anxiety. Here’s some to try:

Lions Breath

This is a pranayama technique used in yoga and comes with many benefits such as lessening stress, helping to eliminate toxins and stimulating your nervous system. To practice this, find a comfortable seat (preferable sat on a mat with your legs crossed, or sitting in a chair). Place your hands on your knees and lean forward slightly. Close your eyes and inhale. Then as you exhale, shift your gaze to your third eye and stick out your tongue, pointing it towards your chin. This should make a ‘haaaaaa’ sound from deep within your core. You might feel a bit silly at first, so perhaps practice this alone, but it’s a fantastic breathing exercise to release tension and negative energy.

Equal breathing

This technique is great for bringing your awareness back to your breath and can also help to promote a healthy night’s sleep. Simply choose a comfortable seating position, inhale for one count, hold for one, exhale for one. Then gradually start to increase to two, three, four, up to five counts. If you feel like you’re straining, then go back down a count. You can do this exercise for roughly ten minutes, or until you start to feel an overall sense of calm.

Find our other breathing techniques here

Space to breathe

Life can seem like a juggling act, which can take a toll on our mental wellbeing. Set yourself a challenge to do at least one thing every day that you enjoy, as an act of kindness for yourself. What is your ‘happy place?’ Whether it’s a bike ride, reading a few chapters of a book, doing a workout to get those endorphins flowing, baking, or yoga to unwind from your day, make sure to prioritise at least thirty minutes a day to this act of self-love.

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