5 stress busting techniques

Are you feeling stressed, anxious or overwhelmed? Are you struggling with an overactive mind?

Here are 5 ways to get out of the fight or flight mode by using your breath to calm your nervous system. This practice aims to stimulate the vagus nerve to slow down your heart rate, moving from a sympathetic state to parasympathetic. A perfect way to start your day and to prepare or recover from a meeting or challenging call.

Extend your exhale

Make your exhale longer than your inhale. Try breathing in for up to the count of 7 and out for the count of 11. It doesn’t matter about the particular numbers, just do what is most manageable. Repeat for a few minutes.

Hold your breath

Take a normal inhale and a normal exhale. Hold your breath for 5 seconds. Breathe normally for 10 seconds. Repeat 10 times.

Belly breath

Use your diaphragm. Put your hands on either side of your lower ribs. Breathe into your hands as fully as you can. Inhale and notice your ribs move out. Exhale and notice your ribs come back in. Do this for a few minutes. This might take some practice, we often hold our stomachs in without realising.

Slow down your breathing

Slow down your breathing to 5-6 breathes per minute. Breathe in for 4 seconds and out for 4 seconds. Repeat for a few minutes.

Humming

It’s like extending your exhale. Inhale through your nose and slowly exhale through your mouth closed, making a steady, low pitched ‘hmmmmm’ sound at the back of your throat. Repeat 10 times.

Breathe through your nose as much as possible throughout the day. Breathing through your mouth has been shown to activate the sympathetic branch of your nervous system and has other negative effects.

If you’re interested in breathwork and finding more about the science and research behind breathing to support healthy lifestyle then Breath- the New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor is a great read.

Book a coaching call with Siân or Victoria to learn ways to feel calmer and clearer.