The Power of Your Breath
How you breathe says a lot about how you are feeling, and changing how you breathe can shift your mindset, transform your mood, and re-balance your nervous system.
Breathing is an automatic process our bodies are designed to perform without us having to worry about it. However, with the challenges and uncertainty of modern life, it feels important to understand the power of your breath and how you can use it to help you move through life's ups and downs with more ease and compassion.
When your thoughts start to race your well-being shifts, and the scales tip towards fight-flight (your activation, high-alert mode) and it can feel like brain gremlins that have taken up residence in your head!
Self-doubt, overwhelm and feelings of fear can be hard to switch off. They can make you feel anxious and disconnected which are feelings I know all too well.
When I feel this way I find it helpful to remember this… When you can’t control your thoughts, focus on changing how you are breathing.
Simply becoming aware of how you are breathing can help you better understand your emotions and what your body needs in that moment. By focusing on breathing consciously and intentionally, you can positively impact your physical, mental and emotional well-being.
The Power of Your Breath and Reducing Anxiety
But what is anxiety?
The nature of anxiety is:
Fear-based
Often irrational
Fight, flight or freeze
Rapid urgency to it
Scattered
Intense
Out of control
Anxiety is ultimately the separation from your present self
Whether it be an experience in your physical environment or a “what-if” scenario playing out in your mind the overwhelming feeling is that you are unsettled and unsafe.
It’s important to know that your mind will perceive an imaginary, “what-if” scenario the same way it perceives physical danger in your external environment. So your body will react to that danger whether it is happening now or as a projection of a future experience in your mind.
Understanding the power of your breath
Your breath is directly connected to the central nervous system (CNS). Nerves cover your lungs and travel off to the right and left sides of your body connecting to your brain, spinal cord and sensory organs.
To get a better understanding of the power of your breath let’s look at how we breathe when we are feeling anxious:
Breathing pattern: Short, shallow, fast breaths, and may feel jittery. It can feel like you can’t catch your breath like your body is trying to keep up with your racing thoughts.
Why this happens: Your body has shifted gears and is in high-alert or activation mode, this is natural when life feels scary or stressful. We call it fight/flight and it’s when your body wants to get all the oxygen it can, getting your blood pumping and your muscles ready to fight the fear, or run away and hide.
Bodily sensations and signals: Your body may feel tense, especially around your chest and throat which can cause a rising panic and your thoughts to spiral further. You may feel tingly in your arms or legs, and it becomes very difficult to focus.
How to use the power of your breath to move out of anxious feelings
Although it can feel as though you can’t catch your breath, the truth is your body is breathing faster, bringing more and more oxygen into your body, and you’re no longer consciously breathing out enough.
Breathing in draws oxygen into your bloodstream to stimulate and invigorate your body but (unless you’re physically running a race) a shorter, faster breathing pattern can create extra tension and add to anxious feelings.
The exhale releases carbon dioxide. When you’re feeling anxious or overwhelmed your body craves a physical and emotional release. Your body needs to exhale to feel a sense of relief and find freedom from the grip of anxiety.
When someone is feeling overwhelmed, upset or ‘stressing out’ it’s easy to tell them to, “take a deep breath” but it’s important to realise how unhelpful this can be.
The most beneficial thing to do when you or someone around you is experiencing this level of stress is to get them to focus on breathing OUT. When your body is stressed start with your breath. As your breath becomes less stressed your body follows.
Try this Reset Breath practice
Place your hands pass facing down on your thighs or rest them in your lap.
Begin to deepen your breath and slow it down, sensing into the support beneath you.
When you feel comfortable to gently breathe in for the count of 1,2,3 and gently pause for 1,2,3 before breathing out for 3,2,1.
Imagine following a triangle in your mind, or trace one with your finger.
Take your time and deepen, or lengthen the breath to 4 if it feels good to.
Repeat 5-10 times to help yourself recenter.
Begin to lengthen your exhalation and remove the pause between your breaths.
Feel your best, be less stressed & regulate your body
Breathwork is a simple yet profound technique we can use anytime, anywhere to reduce anxiety and come back to the present moment. Breath awareness and intentional breathing can empower you to move through challenges with more ease and compassion.
If you're ready to lean into something different to make yourself feel your best, be less stressed and regulate your body, click here to check out my monthly wellness membership. This online community will support you to come back to the body, using practice body-mind movement using the power of your breath from the comfort of your home.
You can explore the whole membership for 14 days when you sign up, for FREE!
Big Love,
Becki x