Mindfulness Meditation Breathing To Reduce Stress

Quickly reduce your stress with this simple mindfulness meditation breathing exercise

Here is a fast and simple technique to help you deal with stress.  This mindfulness meditation breathing to reduce stress will work almost anywhere…. in just a few moments.

Stress, in its most basic sense, means that your body systems are aroused … in a heightened state of readiness in case of danger needing immediate action.   This arousal is a very valuable state… but modern life has a way of turning it from a good state of readiness into a chronic state of over-arousal — and this drains your body of energy and puts a heavy “load” on many body systems.

Here’s a strong and simple explanation of a way to breath mindfully and rythmically that will lower your stress levels FAST.  It’s written by Tracey Last, MD, and appears here on their wonderful Shift Your Life website.

Mindfulness Meditation Breathing To Reduce Stress

Rhythmic (or Box) Breathing is not only a helpful technique for rapidly decreasing stress, anxiety, heart rate or blood pressure, it also  prepares you for a meditation or a peaceful night’s sleep.

Think of your breathing pattern as if it were a box or rectangle drawn on a piece of paper with the breathing in being the left upward drawn line, holding your in-breath as the line on the top of the box from left to right, breathing out as the line going downward on the right side, and then the holding of the out-breath being the line from right to left on the bottom side of the rectangle. You slowly count the length of your breath going in, being held, or going out that is right for you. The length of your in-breath and out-breath should be the same count; just as the length of the held breath at top and bottom should be the same number of counts. As you practice your breathing, you might find that your box is actually a rectangle. Each person may find they have a different count from another person; and that is fine as we are all unique individuals. Just make certain that you are not strained in your breathing in or out or with the breath holds at top or bottom; if you find you are strained, then change the length of your counts for different sides of your “box” of breathing.

Once you find the pattern of your square or rectangular box that works best for you, go through 4 to 5 complete rounds of the rhythmic breathing and notice how your body and mind respond. Original here.

 

I am sure that with just a little bit of practice, you will come to love this particular bit of mindfulness meditation breathing to reduce stress.

If you would like more breathing techniques, please leave a comment below.  AND… if you would like to share a breathing practice that reduces stress or gives energy, it would be really great if you shared that in the comment area too!

Please click the LIKE button below to share this simple breathing practice on Facebook.  It sure would be cool if all our friends on Facebook all took some nice slow rythmic breaths … wouldn’t it?