Breathing Exercises
Try these breathing exercises as a stress management tool and to promote overall wellness.
Falling Out Breath
How: Take a deep inhale, filling your lungs with as much air as possible.
At the top of your breath, take one more sip of air. Then, exhale, with a big sigh
(yes, so you can hear it!), as you release the air from your lungs.
Why: Falling out breath is a great way to release physical tension in the body.
Box Breathing
How: Inhale to a count of 4, hold your breath to the count of 4, breathe out to a count of 4, and hold your breath to a count of 4.
Why: Helpful tool to increase mindfulness. Try doing this before entering a situation you think might be stressful.
4-7-8 Breathing Technique
How: Inhale to a count of 4, hold for a count of 7 and exhale slowly to the count of 8 (through your mouth through pursed lips), focusing on releasing as much air as possible.
Why: The emptying breath is a strategy to activate your parasympathetic nervous system and calm your sympathetic nervous system (i.e., calm you down!). You also allow the lungs to empty completely of stagnant air.