Box Breath Technique | Mindful Mondays part 1

What to do to alleviate stress and anxiety?

We are always told to meditate to help rid of us anxiety and depression, but to some, just the idea of sitting in stillness and becoming the observer of their own discomfort is distressing beyond words.

So what do you do when you are experiencing the physical and psychological symptoms of stress and/or anxiety? Que breathwork!

I love breathing exercises, they are proven to help lower stress. Different breathing (and now meditation) techniques can be found in not only the spiritual spheres, but the scientific too. During my \Kundalini Yoga teacher training we are taught numerous breathing meditations to help control our energy to create desired results, but for a long time this was dismissed and hippy nonsense. Imagine my surprise when I started DBT (dialectic behavioural therapy) that things I have learnt on my spiritual journey are being repeated by the PHD educated authors of the textbooks citing scientific backed results!

So I decided to start Mindful Mondays (6.30pm GMT Instagram & YouTube Live) to help bridge the gap between the scientific and the spiritual.

Today we looked Box Breath, otherwise known as Square breathing. Apparently favoured by US Navy Seals this is a great introduction as it only takes 64 seconds to complete (but you can repeat as often as you like) and doesn't require you to have your eyes closed. I have used this while driving and in queues when I have felt the first sign of anxiety coming my way. So what do we do?

TECHNIQUE:

1. Ideally (for your first go at least) sit in a comfortable upright position.

2. Close the eyes (if it is safe or comfortable to do so) and begin to breath normally, consciously taking slightly longer on the inhales and exhales.

3. When you are ready INHALE through the nose for 4 seconds

4. HOLD the breath for 4 seconds

5. EXHALE through the nose for 4 seconds

6. HOLD the breath for 4 seconds

7. REPEAT this 3 more times

That's it. Done. Of course you can repeat this as many times as you like to make it a meditation practice or until any physical or mental discomfort has passed.

WHAT IS THE POINT OF ALL THIS?

Our bodies run on an Autonomic Nervous System which is SYMPATHETIC (our fight and flight reflexes) and PARASYMPATHETIC which is our rest and restore, but also how we combat the damage and heal after the hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol are released when the SYMPATHETIC nervous system is engaged. Sometimes the S.N.S gets a bad rep but it is essential to our survival, the problem is with our modern lives our minds/bodies aren't able to understand the fact we are reacting is because of traffic on the way to work, or a work email late at night and not a dangerous predator we need to fight off or run away from. So it is even more important to support the PARASYMPATHETIC nervous system.

This breathing technique encourages slow breathing, which activates the P.N.S, it also has pauses between the inhale and exhale, again activating the P.N.S.

The counting of the breathing pattern (as well as the pattern itself) is a good point of mental focus, so if you need distracting from racing thoughts or palpitations this is really helpful.

Other benefits include:

• help getting to sleep

• improved lung function with continued practice

• lower blood pressure

TIPS FOR NEWBIES

If you are new to breathing in this way start with shorter breaths like 2 or 3 seconds and work towards 4 seconds, you want to feel relaxed and calm-not light headed and dizzy.

If you liked this I would love to know and hopefully see you next Monday!

INSTAGRAM: @georgiemaeyoga

YOUTUBE: yogawithgeorginamae