Breathe for stress relief


What are the three most important things that we need to do to stay alive? Breathe, drink water and eat food. when we are stressed it has an impact on our breathing so having a simple exercise to hand to use in these situations is very useful.

The following technique can be done anywhere and at almost any time.

It is a simple technique with huge benefits.
Controlled breathing technique
  1. Sit or stand in a comfortable, relaxed position with your spine lengthened.
  2. Inhale slowly through your nose to the count of 5. Imagine a ball or balloon in your belly inflating
  3. Hold the breathe in the ball or balloon in your belly for 5-10 seconds.
  4. Count slowly to 8 as you exhale.
  5. Repeat this several times.
TOP TIP – As you breathe, let your abdomen expand outward, rather than raising your shoulders. This is a relaxed, natural way to breathe and helps your lungs fill themselves more fully with fresh air.