Breathe your way happy

3 exercises helping you de-stress post covid

Photo by Le Minh Phuong on Unsplash

2020 has been quite a year. Life as we know it has changed since the announcing of restrictions earlier this year due to the coronavirus outbreak. As lockdown has put an end to everyday activities we take for granted be it socialising, congregating in public or running errands one thing is certain — the pandemic has taken its toll on our mental health. And understandably so, negative news coverage and paranoia has led to an environment of fear and anxiety over our inability to control the situation. But things don’t have to be this way. In a study from 2015 suggested Self-regulation of breathing as a primary treatment for anxiety due to the calming effects diaphragmatic breathing has on the body. Below are some exercises to get you started.

4–7–8 breathing Technique

The idea behind this technique is that you take repeat breaths in intervals according to ratio. How to perform this exercise:

Sitting down, back straight with good posture and mouth closed, inhale through the nose counting whilst counting to four in your head.

Once you get to four, stop and hold your breath in whilst mentally counting to seven.

Finally exhale whilst making a whoosh sound eight times.This makes up one breath, repeat the cycle again for max three breaths at least twice a day to receive maximum benefit.

7–11 Breathing Technique

Similarly to 4–7–8 technique the 7/11 breathing technique splits breathing per ratio. How to perform:

Sitting down, back straight breathing in a count of seven and exhaling out to a count of eleven. This method will help relax and ease tension and works best taking deep diaphragmatic breaths when breathing in.

Yoga/Pranayama

In yoga there is the concept of breath control ‘pranayama’: prana meaning life force and ayama to extend out. This practice is integral in yoga and creates a calming effect on mind and body. How to perform:

Sit down in a relaxed position with back firm with legs crossed and hands clasped together, take a deep breath inhaling once and exhaling out twice continuously in a ratio of 1- 2.

We may not have control over what the future brings but at least we control how we think and breathe….