STRESS RELIEVERS

Deep Breathing

Here’s a fascinating thing to observe: your breathing patterns change with your moods. When you’re angry your breath is often shallower (you may even breathe in short bursts). When you’re creating or brainstorming you will often hold your breath as you think deeply. When you’re calm your breath is even and deeper.

Our moods fundamentally affect our breathing patterns. But the really interesting point is that it works the other way around, too. When you make the effort to change your breathing style your mood will usually change as well.

So next time you’re feeling totally overwhelmed by the world, take five minutes to just go somewhere quiet and breathe deeply. As you exhale, imagine all the stress leaving your body and mind. Then, as you inhale, imagine that a wave of calm, peace, and optimism is entering you. I promise you that if you try this technique you’ll be surprised by how quickly it uplifts and relaxes you. We become how we breathe. So train yourself to observe your own breathing, and when life gets stressful, take a moment to adjust it.