Breathe in peace and breathe out stress

Breathwork is a quick and effective practice that you can integrate into your busy day, helping you feel calm, explains Cara Murphy-Howell.

I have the honour of teaching meditation to children and adults – one of the most important skills that you learn is how to use your breath to feel relaxed and be present in the moment. You can use your breath as your remote control to your busy mind and it can help you regulate your nervous system. When we are rushing around we are often taking short shallow breaths and not aligning our busy minds and bodies to feel connected. By controlling your breathing we can shift our nervous system from the sympathetic (or fight-flight), to the parasympathetic state (enabling rest-digest). If you are feeling stressed about your workload or public speaking, then here are some simple breathing techniques to try.

Resonant Breathing*

If you are struggling to sleep or feeling stressed then try this easy and effective breathing technique known as Resonant or Coherent breathing, to help you feel calmer and more present in the moment:

● Sitting comfortably, begin by checking on your posture

● If it is safe to do so, close your eyes (but you don’t have to do this to feel the benefits)

● Inhale for a count of 5

● Exhale for a count of 5

● Continue the above approach for at least a few minutes 

Box Breathing*

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the busyness of life? If the answer is yes, try Box Breathing. You can do it anytime and anywhere:

● Visualise a box

● Sit comfortably, ideally with your back straight

● If it is safe to do so close your eyes and breathe through your nose while counting to four

● Hold your breath while counting to four

● Exhale to the count of four

● Listen to your body and repeat the above steps a few times 

4, 7, 8 Breathing Technique*

I use this simple breathing technique when I am struggling to focus, get to sleep or if I’m feeling anxious: 

● Sitting comfortably, scan your body for any tension

● If it is safe to do so, close your eyes and bring your intention inwards, try to disconnect from what is happening around you 

● Breathe in through the nose for    four seconds

● Hold your breath for seven seconds 

● Exhale through the mouth for eight seconds

● Repeat the above steps 3/4 times regularly throughout the day  

Yogic Three-Part Breath*

If you would like to align your mind and body to help feel a greater connection, why not take a few minutes out of your day to do this nurturing breathing technique?  The steps are:

● Begin by getting comfortable 

● Place your left hand on your stomach and place your right hand on the outer right edge of your rib cage 

● Tune into your breath 

● On your inhalations, feel the rise and fall of your belly, followed by the expansion of your ribs

● On the exhalations, feel the compression of your ribs, followed by the drop of your belly. Exhale completely 

● Now bring your left hand to your chest 

● As you inhale, breathe all the way into this area.  Now exhale

● As you continue to breathe, keep your awareness of this three-part movement. As you take some deep relaxing breaths, notice the movement in your belly, ribs, and chest 

● If this feels comfortable follow this approach for 3-5 minutes 

Alternate Nostril Breathing Technique*

When I feel tense and my mind is racing, I use the Alternate Nostril Breathing Technique to help me feel more relaxed. I learned this wonderful technique at a yoga class: 

● Use your thumb and ring finger to alternate by gently closing one nostril at a time, whilst taking deep breaths in and out 

● With your right nostril covered, close your eyes and exhale fully and slowly through your left nostril 

● Once you’ve exhaled completely, release your right nostril and put your ring finger on your left nostril 

● Breathe in deeply and slowly from the right side. Keep the breath constant and fluid

● Once you’ve inhaled completely, exhale through your right nostril

● Release your ring finger and close your right nostril with your thumb again. Breathe in and exhale fully from your left nostril 

● Repeat the full process three or  more times 

● Listen to your body and be gentle with yourself 

Try to integrate some of these breathing techniques into your busy day and enjoy the benefits. Please get in touch if you are interested in learning more about developing a bespoke well-being programme including sound baths, meditation or yoga in the workplace. I share lots of tips on LinkedIn (Cara Murphy-Howell).Telephone: 07841 108460 Website: themeditationeffectwithcara.com

* Note: If you have any medical conditions or you are pregnant, then please seek professional advice before trying these techniques.  Listen to your body and stop if there is any discomfort. 

Sources of inspiration: Breath: James Nestor, Everyday Yoga, Health Line, Medical News Today, Web.Med and Jay Shetty