Instantly Calm Your Body & Mind—Try This Simple Breathing Reset

Check out this simple exercise that can calm your body and mind in a matter of seconds. Last week I spoke and wrote about how our nervous system is divided into two sides - the sympathetic side, fight and flight and the parasympathetic side, where we rest, relax and digest. When we spend too much time in the sympathetic side we can become sick, tired and wired, and stressed. But, when we balance this side with enough time in the parasympathetic side then we can relax, feel less stressed, our mind slows down and our bodies can heal.

So, this way of breathing will take you into the parasympathetic side of your nervous system immediately. It will increase your HRV which is a marker of health and longevity, will calm your mind and give you space between your thoughts.

Before sleep is a great time to do this because It will allow your body to go into recovery mode to repair the damage from the stresses of the day and allow you to bounce back better and more energised the next day.

Another great time to practice this breathing exercise is before eating because it will help your digestion - our bodies aren't interested in digestion when we are under threat and in a stressful environment so blood is diverted away from the digestive system. In parasympathetic mode, blood is available for digestion, so your body will digest food better, meaning less digestive issues like bloating, reflux and healthier bowel movements.

Some other times to use this breathing technique other than before sleep and before meals is when you are feeling stressed, anxious, need to balance your emotions or want to relax or quiet your mind.

So, lets go. You can do this in any position - because we need to breathe in all positions we are in during the day and night. So you can be seated, standing, laying down for example. Laying down is often the easiest to start with.

I like to teach patients and clients to follow a checklist from the head down:

Ears - The breath should be quiet, try to breathe in a way that you cant hear it.

Nose - Breathe through the nose is strongly preferred for widespread benefits compared to breathing through the mouth

Lip seal - Keep lips sealed to ensure all air goes in and out through the nose

Relaxed shoulders and neck - to reduce tension in neck and shoulders and train your body to use your diaphragm more and reduce overuse of the neck and shoulder muscles.

Minimal chest movement - focus on movement if you belly, to ensure you are making good use of your diaphragm

Tummy movement - on the inhale, the belly expands and the belly button moves away from the spine. On the exhale, the belly retracts back toward the spine.

The breath:
1 - Take a normal breath in, with the air moving in slower than usual. Many people think they need to take a deep breath to get more air in, however, a normal size breath will allow more oxygen to get to your tissues. just go a little bit slower.

2 - Take a long, slow breath out. Lengthen your breath more as you continue to practice this. When you get to the 8 seconds range, you are activating the vagus nerve, which is a key nerve in the body that supplies a lot of the organs in your body including your digestive system and is key to health and longevity.

I suggest doing 10 breaths before meals or sleep. You can do as long as you like, or as short as you like. Just one breath is enough to make a difference. Be present in your body and focus on the breath as it moves in and out of your body.

And that's it, simple right?

Please don't let its simplicity trick you into thinking it can't be effective. The benefits are so widespread. And it doesn't end there. that I go into the importance of breathing in my online course. Getting breathing right is so important that there is a whole week dedicated to how to breathe and how to use different techniques to balance your nervous system, to heal your body, build energy and vitality, improve focus and change your thoughts and your emotions.

If that is something that interests you, send me a message, I’d love to hear from you.