When we were born, breathing – inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide – was as natural as the sun rising and setting each day. Enter financial commitments, stress, family dynamics, stress, guilt, rent, mortgage, life and more stress and something so innate has become more elusive than ever. Holding one’s breath and hyperventilating are common occurrences. It’s imperative that we get back to the Zen before experiencing a panic attack or worse – completely losing our marbles.

While some stress is natural and healthy, chronic stress can be devastating. The key is to find ways to manage and balance stress so we get back to inhaling and exhaling like we were born to.

just breathe…

Meditation – quieting the mind and concentrating on breath – is a great method of relieving stress. If it’s not easy for you to quiet your own mind, apps like Headspace and Smiling Mind can help you to practice regularly. There are free trials for both so try them each before you buy. Also, cardiovascular exercise like running, swimming and cycling induces breathing and eases anxiety. In my first year of college, I participated in a study documenting the benefits of exercising to combat stress. I felt great and as an added bonus, I beat the freshman fifteen. Yoga, Tai chi and Qigong are other fantastic practices which elicit healthy breathing and reduce feelings of anxiousness. For more information on the connection between exercise and sleep, check out this great article by Karen Sanders over at healthambition.com, “How can exercise help you sleep better?”

All of the above are important especially if you have a stressful job or lifestyle. Incorporating more techniques that get you to breathe and supply more oxygen to the blood should be at the top of your to do list. Practice outside so you also breathe more fresh air, which is essential to health and wellbeing.

Here is something you can incorporate into your life immediately. The 4-7-8 Yoga Breathing Exercise is my single favorite breathing and relaxation technique because it’s quick, easy and can be done anytime, anywhere. This method of breathing was developed thousands of years ago in ancient India. I have been practicing this method for the past 2 years and feel calmer and more centered. I still get triggered and stressed from time to time but I have the 4-7-8 to fall back on whenever I need it. If you are friends with me or a client of mine, I will have already passed this technique on to you and hopefully you are doing this at least twice a day, every day.

Results come from practicing this breath technique regularly over time – weeks, months, years. You must be committed to doing this twice a day religiously to receive the benefits. You can do this in any position, even in the car while stuck in traffic. If seated, have your feet flat on floor and your back straight.

4-7-8 Yoga Breathing Exercise

In yoga breathing, you rest your tongue on the back of your front teeth. Keeping your tongue in this position throughout the exercise completes an energy circuit.

First, inhale gently once through your nose and then exhale with force through your mouth. Now you are ready to begin.

• Inhale through the nose 1, 2, 3, 4 seconds
• Hold 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 seconds
• Exhale through the mouth 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 seconds
• Repeat 4 cycles and remember to keep the tongue resting on the back of your front teeth the entire time

“This is single most effective relaxation technique I have found,” says Dr. Andrew Weil, my favorite holistic health guru. Click here to view a video of Dr. Weil demonstrating the technique.

Practice 4-7-8 breathing two times per day and you should experience:

• Less anxiety and panic attacks
• Drop in Blood pressure and heart rate. Although these level go back to normal after the exercise, you will notice more lasting results over time if you incorporate this into your daily routine.
• Reduced cravings
• Sense of calm in any stressful situation
• Better, uninterrupted sleep

Speaking of sleep, it is now well past my bedtime. Good night and Namaste.

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