“Breathing in, I am aware that I have a body. Breathing out, I smile with compassion.”
Thich Nhat Hahn
There is no better way to calm the mind-body and show your gratitude for yourself than to perform a daily breathing practice.
I didn’t know I needed this, but I did. Back in 2011, when Jason and I were trying to conceive, I was at a pretty stressful part of my career. I had just taken on a new role in leadership- a new team, a new focus- quality, patient safety and risk management- truly outside of my normal wheelhouse. I was enthusiastic to learn everything I could and to support my new team. I wasn’t struggling, however it was new and stressful and there was definitely more at stake. I felt that pressure inside my body. Along with the new job, we had just ended a round of doctors visits at the UCONN Fertility Center and I was feeling rather down. It is incredibly frustrating, not being able to get pregnant, and we were struggling with those feelings on a daily basis.
Why am I telling you this? By now, if you have been reading my blogs for the past few months, you have realized that I am pretty transparent. While fertility and conceiving is a very personal topic, I have shared other things in my blogs that are also very personal. I do so in a way that demonstrates where I am coming from, what I have changed in my daily life in order to better position my mind and body for this wonderful life.
While Jason and I were going through this difficult time, my dad noticed that I was stressed. He had been a hospital administrator as well, while my parents were raising us, and he knew first hand about that stress. Even though I thought I was fine, he knew I wasn’t. He offered to walk me through some meditation and breathing practices. I agreed, albeit reluctantly. Because remember, I thought I was fine. My dad drove up to my house one morning a week (he lives over an hour away), early in the morning, to walk through a breathing exercise with me. We did my vitals- blood pressure and heart rate prior to beginning and at the end of the exercise. He talked me through a total body relaxation, starting at the top of my head all the way to my toes. He was relentless- he would stick with talking me through relaxing parts of my body until he could tell I was relaxed. He took pride in helping me through this. He is the least likely person to be into meditation and mindfulness- or at least that is what I thought prior to us starting. My dad came weekly for months. He would knock quietly so as to not wake Jason or the dog. We would work on the mindfulness exercise and I would give him a quick cup of coffee and then he would be on his way again.
A few months later, our dreams came true and the very beginnings of Ella had begun! (What a miracle by the way- growing a human inside of you is probably one of the most powerful, rewarding, scary and awesome things a woman can do- I feel blessed and honored everyday that I was able to do that for my Ella. I am truly awed by this.)
What I didn’t realize at the time, is that this practice of deep breathing, mindfulness and meditation is something that my body needs, continually, in order to function optimally. Later on, in 2019 when the discs in my neck herniated, I finally realized what my body needs daily.
Breathing is fundamental to life. Deep conscious breathing is fundamental to self care. Deep breathing helps to increase the oxygen supply to the brain, and engages the parasympathetic response by stimulating the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is the main nerve of the parasympathetic nervous system running from the brain stem to the abdomen. Stimulating this nerve by taking big, deep, belly breaths helps the body to manage the symptoms of anxiety and depression, allows for a relaxed awake awareness in the mind, shows immediate reductions in blood pressure and heart rate, produces alpha waves in the brain (wakeful relaxation) and can also promote theta waves (state of day dreaming, relaxation).
Deep belly breathing or Diaphragm breathing creates these effects by a large contracting of the diaphragm muscle in the abdomen, expansion of the belly and then a deepening of both inhalation and exhalation. These motions inside the body, with the muscles of breathing activate the vagus nerve and promote deep relaxation.
You can perform this type of breathing as a part of meditation practice, or mindfulness routine. You can also perform this deep breathing, anywhere, anytime! Especially if you are dealing with a stressful situation- it is the perfect way to help your mind and body handle any type of situation. Taking a moment to perform a deep breath will help reengage your parasympathetic nervous system and ready you for dealing with stress.
There are a couple of deep breathing techniques that I will share with you below. I especially like the Box Breath as I am winding down my day, in bed, preparing for sleep. I also enjoy deep belly breathing, challenging myself to elongate my inhalation and exhalation as I fall deeper into a relaxed state. Breathing is also central to meditation. My main meditation is focusing on my breath. I can do 10 or 20 minutes of concentration on my breath and come out of the meditation feeling relaxed and rejuvenated. To perform a breathing meditation do not change the breath in any way, just become aware of your breath. Concentrate on where you feel the breathe come into your body and where it leaves your body- what sensation do you feel as you breath in and out normally? Do you feel it in your nose? A nostril perhaps? Do you sense the air a bit lower down? Are you aware of the rise and fall of your abdomen? Do you hear something as you breath in and out? Focusing on one of these sensations and only that sensation is something that your brain craves, but we rarely take the time to do. That is your meditation practice.
Back to the breathing techniques:
Pursed Lip Breathing- improves ventilation, releases trapped air, keeps your airways open longer which helps to decrease the work of breathing, relieving shortness of breath, prolongs the exhalation to slow the breath rate and causes general relaxation. You can practice this breathing technique 4-5 times per day, for 5-10 minutes each time, or whenever you have a moment, or NEED a moment!
Pursed Lip Breathing:
Relax head, neck and shoulders
Inhale for two (2) counts with your mouth closed.
Pucker or purse your lips.
Exhale slowly through pursed lips for a count of four (4).
Abdominal/Diaphragm breathing- also called belly breathing- this technique is the basis for all meditation and relaxation techniques. Belly breathing helps to strengthen the diaphragm, improves our core muscles, slows the breathing rate, decreases work of breathing, decreases heart rate and blood pressure and causes deep relaxation. Practicing this technique 3-4 times per day for 5-10 minutes, gradually increasing the amount of time. This technique can be practiced lying down or sitting/standing- wherever you may be! When you are first starting, a reclined position is best for feeling your belly and core muscles working to ensure you are performing the technique correctly.
Lie down on the floor, knees bent, place on hand on your upper chest and the other on your abdomen just below the rib cage (near your belly button!).
Relax
Tighten abdominal muscles.
Inhale (mouth closed) for two (2) counts and exhale through pursed lips for four (4) counts very slowly while feeling your belly move up as it fills with air and moves down as it expels air.
Repeat for ultimate relaxation.
Square Breathing/Box Breath- I enjoy utilizing this technique to very quickly reach a relaxed state. This breath can be done anywhere, anytime for immediate relief from stress and anxiety. I find it especially helpful right before bed, or in bed to promote falling asleep quickly.
Create four (4) equal steps of your breathing- like a box- having four (4) sides.
Breath in for four (4) counts
Hold for four (4) counts
Exhale for four (4) counts
Hold for four (4) counts
Try incorporating some breathing techniques into your daily self care routine. You will be amazed by the immediate and lasting results!
I have listed some resources I have used over the years and some new ones I read in order to write this blog. I hope you have enjoyed this journey with me!
Be well,
Teresa
Resources and Additional Reading:
Good Vibes, Good Life, How Self Love is the Key to Unlocking your Greatness, Vex King
The Wim Hoff Method, Wim Hoff
Brain Body Diet, Sara Gottfried, MD
How to Relax, Thich Nhat Hahn
The Relaxation Response, Herbert Benson, MD.
Salyers, M. et al. (2011) Breathe: a pilot study of one day retreat to reduce burnout among mental health professionals. Psychiatric Service, 62 (2): 214-217.
The American Institute of Stress located at https://www.stress.org/take-a-deep-breath/
Xiao, Mia We al (2017). The effects of diaphragmatic breathing on attention, negative affect and stress in healthy adults. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 874. online at https://www.nubian.i’m.nih.gov/prc/articles/PMC5455070/