Whether you’re having a great week, or a less-than-great one – let’s see if we can improve on that shall we!
That’s what these weekly emails are about – just increasing the level of Mental Sunshine in your life where we can.
This week I want to talk about morning breathwork, after hearing Julia Bradbury talk about it.
Now, you might hear “breathwork” and think of yogis in the mountains, or perhaps Wim Hof and his crazy feats.
Or you might think, what is that?!
Breathwork is really just the intentional control of your breathing pattern.
Any time you’re paying attention to your breathing, and controlling it, you’re doing breathwork.
I heard Julia Bradbury talking about how doing breathwork in the morning can be a good way to start your day, to help with managing stress.
Doing breathwork in the morning can help to wake up and energise the body. It can also help to sharpen our focus and boost the mood.
Here are a couple of breathwork techniques you could try:
Box breathing: breathe in for a count of four; hold for four; breathe out for a count of four; hold for four. Repeat a few times.
Cyclic sighing: take two quick inhales, and then a long, slow exhale. This can help to quickly reduce physiological tension.
Coherent breathing: breathe steadily in and out for a count of five each. This can help to balance and regulate the body.
4-7-8 method: breathe in for four; hold for seven; breathe out for eight. This is probably better done in the evening, as the longer “out” breath will help to calm you down ready for bed.
Tying your breathing to your breath can also become a form of mindful meditation, where you’re concentrating on counting so much that other troublesome thoughts dissipate.
A key thing to remember is that a longer “in” breath with shorter “out” breath will wake you up and energise you – and if you reverse that for a longer “out” breath, it will calm you.
Why not try it today, and see how you get on?
After all it’s free, and should only take you a couple of minutes!