| You can read hundreds of stress management books | | | | 'essence of life' and healing, and is known as 'Qi' (chi), |
| in search for ways on how to relieve stress - but the | | | | 'prana', or 'life force'. For centuries the Yoga gurus |
| most powerful of all the stress management | | | | have trained themselves to control their breathing |
| techniques is right underneath your nose... | | | | rate to the point where they are able to slow their |
| Is it the heavy workload, multi-tasking requirement, | | | | heart rate down, reduce their blood pressure, |
| replying to time urgent emails, or performance | | | | dramatically increase or decrease their body |
| pressure that is creating all this stress and ill-health? | | | | temperature, and control the amount of pain they |
| Actually, none of these things cause stress. | | | | feel in their body. In his book 'You Can Conquer |
| Did you know that when you are feeling rushed, | | | | Cancer', Ian Gawler explains how he used breathing |
| pressured, on the go all the time or overloaded, | | | | techniques and meditation to block the pain during a |
| physical tension builds up in your chest - your chest | | | | root canal procedure - an ordinarily very painful |
| muscles contract. This forces you to breathe shorter, | | | | process. |
| sharper and shallower. | | | | The rate, depth and quality of your breathing can |
| Consistent shallow breathing has been found to cause | | | | increase your energy levels, calm your nerves, clear |
| fatigue, increase in error rates, emotional tension, | | | | your mind, enhance your health and even block pain." |
| forgetfulness, and even health issues such as asthma, | | | | There are 3 general breathing principles that apply to |
| colds, anxiety/panic attacks, and indigestion. Rapid | | | | each situation. They are: |
| and shallow breathing increases neck and shoulder | | | | 1. DEPTH: |
| tension and raises the risk of hyperventilation. | | | | Allow your abdomen (belly) to move in and out as |
| Other research has found that when your body's | | | | you breathe. Allow your breathing to be deep in your |
| cells are starved of up to 60% of oxygen they | | | | abdomen, instead of being shallow in your chest. |
| become cancerous. | | | | This allows your diaphragm to efficiently draw air in |
| A clinical study of thousands of participants over a | | | | and out of your body. Sitting for long periods often |
| 30-year period presents convincing evidence that the | | | | tenses the abdomen muscles, reducing the depth of |
| most significant factor in peak health and long life is | | | | each breath. As you breathe in, allow your abdomen |
| how well you breathe [1]. In a recent interview I | | | | to move out. As you breathe out, allow your |
| conducted with Thomas Goode, from the | | | | abdomen to move in. (This is the natural way you |
| International Breath Association at, he explained why | | | | breathe when you are asleep) |
| proper breathing habits are essential to good health | | | | 2. POSITION: |
| and relieving stress. | | | | Remind your body to be in an upright position, |
| Stress relief is not about escaping the stress in your | | | | instead of stooped or hunched over posture. Being |
| life. The key in how to relieve stress is creating a | | | | hunched over a computer all day can get your body |
| sense of calm inside you. It is not people, emails, | | | | into the habit of tensing stomach and chest muscles - |
| deadlines, or workload that creates stress - but the | | | | which restricts your breathing. |
| way in which our body physically, mentally and | | | | Every so often, stop what you are doing and |
| emotionally is conditioned to respond to these | | | | deliberately sit up straight (in fact, try it right now as |
| events. The key, being, your breathing habits. | | | | you read this article). Notice the difference your body |
| So, what is the right way to breathe? | | | | position can make to your breathing pattern. |
| There are many different breathing techniques, | | | | 3. FREQUENCY: |
| depending on whether it is to prepare for a situation | | | | Taking longer rhythmic breaths both calm your body |
| (meeting, conflict, presentation), during the situation | | | | and help to focus your mind. Breathing in for 4-5 |
| or after the situation. [2] | | | | seconds, holding for 2 seconds, then breathing out |
| Here is a short exert: "One of the most potent keys | | | | for 4-5 seconds is a good starting frequency to |
| to expanding your capacity when you are under | | | | create positive breathing habits. |
| pressure is to control your breathing pattern during | | | | Remember, using your breathing as a stress relief |
| your day-to-day work. Every day you take between | | | | tool is quick and very efficient. This is the most |
| 16,000 and 23,000 breaths, and each breath takes in | | | | potent of all the stress management techniques |
| about 250ml of oxygen and disposes of 200ml of | | | | because your breathing patterns controls your |
| carbon dioxide. | | | | emotions, and you can control your breathing. |
| ...In many Eastern traditions, breath is seen as the | | | | |