My anxiety lifesaver

I don’t think we realise the power of it, but it’s probably the most important thing we do… we breathe.

The breath is the one thing we come into this world with that we carry with us all through life. It’s part of our life force and used to its full potential can help us master almost any situation.

For instance, you know that uneasy feeling of butterflies in your tummy that makes you feel as though you might throw up? Yup pretty awful right. I know it too well because anxiety has been no stranger in my life. But something that’s literally saved me is my breath.

A little trick my Dad taught me is to place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly.  And then through your nose, breathe deeply into the hand on your belly - making it rise and fall while your chest remains still. A simple technique known as diaphragmatic or belly breathing that works absolute wonders!

Or alternatively, just make sure your ‘out’ breath is longer than your ‘in’ breath. Easy! What the Buddhist monks do is inhale deeply for 5 seconds and then exhale slowly for 7 seconds. This type of relaxation breathing will literally reset your nervous system, which is exactly what you need in times of stress. When we are anxious we tend to take rapid, shallow breaths that come from our chest which only exacerbate the stress response.

So if you’re ever feeling a little overwhelmed or those butterflies start coming on, give this a go. Take a moment to stop and breathe deeply into your belly… get that beautiful oxygen filling your lungs and all your cells. Trust me, it works every time and will instantly calm you.

The breath is the bridge between your mind, body and soul.

Artwork by @morganharpernichols

Please note all the information above is intended as health education only, it does not treat, cure or prevent disease.