3 Ways to Get Relaxed, In Control and Back on Track — Just By Inhaling and Exhaling 

Just breathe. How many times have we heard that two-word phrase? Positive psychologists, self-help mentors and even pop stars tell you to do it (remember Faith Hill belting out the phrase on your desk speakers as you panicked over a deadline?).

But is it that easy? Can breathing really be an effective stress management tool? Although scientific studies regarding the impact of slow, rhythmic breathing on reducing stress can be found on numerous medical sites, utilizing our own breath for stress relief has had slow acceptance as a go-to personal management tool — yet it is one of the most effective methods we have available!

Here’s why: deep, abdominal breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system (responsible for stimulation of “resting-and-digesting”) to trigger your brain to go into rest/relax mode, which allows us to have a small escape-like experience from any negative pressure we feel.  Deep, intentional breathing also has real medical benefits such as:

• • Lowered blood pressure
  • Reduced heartrate
  • An increase in nitric-oxide (a molecule our body naturally produces helping our cells to communicate with each other).  When we breathe deeply, our cells tell our body to be more effective at relaxing.  It also helps our body cells to support increased cardio endurance and strength.
  • Muscle relaxation (especially beneficial for those carrying stress in their shoulders and neck).

Often, we think of proactive abdominal breathing as an act performed only at specific times for relaxation. The truth is that in order to be an effective manager of our responsibilities, we must proactively create breaks throughout our day designed to attain the 20-30 minutes of daily, deep breathing that the American Institute of Stress recommends for us to bring on our A-game – especially important, of course, in the workplace.

Brighten Your Day thru Breathing

No matter where you are in your career, you can take advantage of these three routine daily breathing exercises below to help you feel more in control, even if your day feels totally out of control:

Breathing Basics: If you are a beginner to deep, rhythmic breathing, then learning how to breathe will help you feel accustomed to doing it more often.  With practice, you’ll soon be breathing for relaxation and be able to focus on demand, just like a pro:

Beginner Exercise: Sit with your back against a hard surface (wall, door, side of your desk or in a high back office chair). Whether you are sitting on the floor or in a chair, your legs and arms should be relaxed and your back upright.

• • • Now, put one hand on your leg, and the other hand on your lower abdomen, so that you can feel where your breathing needs to come from.  Practice taking in a deep breath through your nose so that you can feel your abdomen rise before your chest.  If your chest rises first, then your breaths are too shallow.
    • Close your eyes, and concentrate on nothing else but breathing from the abdomen for 4-6 deep breaths, making sure that you exhale fully from the abdomen as well, by blowing through relaxed lips. You should feel your abdominal hand go out with your inhale, and in with your exhale, releasing your breath from the chest and abdomen at the same time. When you feel comfortable with your breathing, you can then concentrate on relaxing your face muscles, your neck and your shoulders with every breath.
    • Just listening to your own breathing will take your mind off of the stress you feel, and allow you to gain some perspective on what you need to do to accomplish your next task.

Morning Breathing: Do you equate waking up in the mornings with hitting the snooze button, falling out of bed, and making and drinking an entire cup of coffee — all before your eyes are even open? Studies have shown that caffeine consumption can actually disrupt the ability to think clearly long-term.  In fact, the withdrawal from caffeine later in the morning will actually make your performance less effective, your thoughts more cloudy, and your emotions more temperamental — not a good position to be in when you are expected to be performing at your peak!

Instead, imagine starting your day relaxed and level-headed about how you are going to approach the emails, tasks, meetings and errands that need to be taken care of in your day – i.e. feeling in control and capable of what you need to do to be effective. In lieu of reaching for your cup of coffee and phone to see how many people have emailed first thing in the morning, try waking up with deep, centering breaths:

A.M. Exercise:

• • • Before getting out of bed, lay still on your back for three deep breaths before getting out of bed (slowly, so you don’t get dizzy).
    • Stand with your feet hip-width apart, and bring your hands together at the center of your chest.
    • While you take a deep breath from your abdomen, swing your arms up over your head slowly, holding at the top for a count of 5, before exhaling through your mouth and lowering your hands to your side. Repeat this 4-6 times, concentrating only on your breath as you feel your senses wake up.
    • This exercise will open your sinuses, provide an opportunity for your mind to take on the day with clarity, and give you a sense of control over the tasks within your control.

Unwind by Exhaling

Power Down Breathing: By the end of our work day we are often feeling frazzled, mentally drained and physically overwhelmed; it’s entirely possible that all we really want to do is turn on the TV and watch re-runs of Friends or How I Met Your Mother, so we can laugh off the hours spent managing our calendar.

While a little TV-watching is definitely warranted, try to also power down your mind and body before bed with this highly-praised nightly breathing routine called “The 4-7-8 Breathing Exercise,” introduced by famed Harvard-trained natural health expert Dr. Andrew Weil. Do this exercise before going to bed to give yourself a true recovery from your busy day:

P.M. Exercise:

• • • Lay on your back — either on the floor, your couch or on your bed.
    • Silently count to 4, as you breathe in through your nose, making sure that your abdomen rises as you do so.
    • Once you have inhaled to the count of four, hold your breath and silently count from 1 to 7 with your eyes closed.  Concentrate on feeling the breath throughout your body.
    • Silently count from 1 to 8, while exhaling slowly through your mouth, making sure that all of the air is out of your lungs when you are done counting.
    • You can repeat this breathing routine between 4-8 times to feel totally relaxed and fall asleep with your mind completely powered-down.

Creating a daily breathing routine will help save you from building up unwanted work-related stress both in your muscles and your mind, and prevent you from carrying the stress around with you while trying to accomplish all of your other daily activities.

By giving yourself a BBB (Business Breathing Break), you will in fact be a better leader, boss, manager, employee and entrepreneur as you learn how to better manage your thoughts, take control of your day, and feel confident about the decisions you need to make. So what are you waiting for?  Get Breathing!