Let’s go back to basics and breathe. Everyone is having increased stress and anxiety right now, more than ever before. On a global scale and individually, we are facing increased stressors that we may not have experienced before. Individually we may have multiple concerns - concerns about yourself and loved ones contracting COVID-19, concerns about keeping your job or going on unemployment, concerns about taking on the roles of teacher, parent, and employee at the same time, and even concerns about personal safety depending on where and who you are sheltering in place with. These types of personal concerns can be overwhelming even without thinking about the issues people are facing on a global scale.
One way to help with any type of stress is to focus on our breathing. When we are stressed and anxious, we tend to take shallow breaths. This contributes to the stress our physical body is feeling by sending alarm signals to our brain. Our body then goes into the same fight, flight, or freeze reaction it would go into whether we are reacting to a bear standing in front of us or to our own anxious thoughts. If this happens continuously, this can create the feeling of being hypervigilant, or constantly being on alert.
In order to calm our bodies’ automatic reactions, it helps to breathe. Diaphragmatic breathing is a relaxation exercise characterized by deep breathing from the stomach. Deep, slow breathing helps our bodies and minds realize that there is no imminent threat and allows our bodies to relax. Calming our bodies can, in turn, calm our minds. Doing this daily can help to trigger the body’s relaxation response and help with your overall stress level, which is something we all need from time to time.
To do diaphragmatic breathing:
Lay on your back or sit in a chair with your feet on the floor
Place one hand on your chest and the other below your rib cage on your stomach
Breathe in slowly through your nose so that your stomach is moving more than your chest
Breathe out through your mouth so that your stomach is moving more than your chest
Using a clock with a second hand, breathe in slowly for about 4 seconds and breathe out slowly for about 6 seconds. Adjust the time to do what feels comfortable for you
Practice several times daily for 5-10 minutes
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any mental health conditions. Rebecca Agnew, LCSW has a private practice in State College, PA.
Check out Rebecca's post Belly Breathing for kids