As the seasons change, many welcome the cooler temperatures, pumpkins, changing fall leaves and warm sweaters.
But there is also stress involved with sending children back to school and associated issues, worrying about the costs of the winter fuel bills, ice and snow, and even remembering the season as difficult if school had meant stress to you in the past. We may feel frazzled or generally anxious and our family and friend relationships may suffer.
What to do? Deep and focused breathing is a tool that helps relieve stress. Conscious breathing can change your physiological state. When we feel stressed, our heart rate may increase, breathing becomes shallow, blood pressure can rise, and we might go into a fight, flight, or freeze mode. We can actively shift that response by using slow deep breaths that activate our parasympathetic nervous system. This part of our nervous system slows the heart rate, is active during digestion and helps bring calm to your body.
Discover the STOP practice. After a stressful phone call, before a stressful meeting, when children or others are melting down, or when just feeling overwhelmed, do the STOP practice for about a minute. The acronym STOP guides the practice: Slow down what you are doing. Take a few deep, slow breaths. Observe how you are feeling in your body. Proceed with what you were doing.
When breathing, exhale to a count of six, then inhale to a count of six. If possible, breathe slowly and focused in a quiet sitting location although this can be done anytime and anywhere. Find a deep rhythm that calms your breathing and your focus. People who have anxiety have a hard time trying to slow down. Practice slow breathing as your goal. Any focusing and slowing of breathing and thoughts will help. Some people also walk, stretch or lightly exercise while deep breathing to provide further calming.
It’s not all in your head. Deep breathing stimulates your vagus nerve, the longest cranial nerve. This nerve extends from the brain and branches into and influences numerous vital organs. When stimulated with deep breathing, the vagus nerve triggers the release of various chemicals that can induce calm.
If anxiety persists and is interfering with your daily activities, your healthcare provider should be consulted. Help is always available to allow you to live your best life, every day.