Take a Breath
Life will always throw some chaos at us. It’s about the only predictable thing we’ve got – unpredictability. Sometimes that chaos is welcome, sometimes it’s not, and it’s quite often stressful regardless of what the chaos is. One of the ways we can quickly reduce that stress, even on a biochemical level, is harness the control we have over our breath.
The cliche advice “take a deep breath” really isn’t so cliche. The sympathetic nervous system (fight-or-flight) tends to go into a bit of overdrive during high stress times. The parasympathetic nervous system, the other side of the coin, works in balance with the sympathetic. And it’s a nice long exhale that helps kick the parasympathetic a bit more.
So, for a quick, very minor calming effect during the day when a stressful even hits, take a pause, and take 10 deep breaths. Savor the exhale all the more on each breath, letting a little stress go with each breath that goes out. Count each exhale as it takes as long as it wants to, and when you get to 10, there may be a hint less stress in the body.
Of course, it’s still up to you not to bring more in.
Posted: April 17th, 2009 under Pranayama.
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