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Turn into a Belly Breathing Pro!

Belly Breathing for Anxiety

What is it?

Belly breathing is another saying for diaphragmatic breathing. Diaphragmatic breathing the inspiration and expiration of air that engages your diaphragm. It’s the muscle in your chest that helps you breathe.

How does it help?

Belly breathing helps with stress, anxiety and even asthma. Belly breathing causes you to put pressure on the vagus nerve (the nerves of your parasympathetic nervous system which controls regulation of internal organ functions, such as digestion, heart rate, and respiratory rate, etc.) which then sends a signal to the brain to release serotonin which relaxes the body.

Don’t worry if you aren’t exactly sure you are doing it right. The goal is being intentional in trying something new with a goal to encourage balance and lessen anxiety. A quick search on Youtube will give you a visual on a million different ways to breathe. It doesn’t take long, and 120 seconds is a great first time goal!

Don’t forget to end with a positive affirmation! Just by reading this post means you have already made a step in the right direction! Spend just a couple minutes valuing yourself. You deserve it!

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Disclaimer: Belly breathing alone may not help so please seek the direction of a licensed professional to determine what’s right for you based on your symptoms and any physical limitations.

“Diaphragmatic respiration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diaphragmatic%20respiration.

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Missing Out on Sleep?

Sleep is an important part of maintaining balance in our lives, and when we don’t get enough rest, it can have serious implications for our mental well-being including signs of anxiety and depression. “Participants who averaged 6 hours or less of sleep per night were about 2.5 times more likely to have frequent mental distress when controlling for confounders (OR, 2.52; 95% CI, 2.32–2.73) than those who slept more than 6 hours” (Blackwelder, 2021). Having a consistent sleeping routine and developing good sleep hygiene habits are key to helping maintain healthy levels of energy throughout the day and preparation for sleep. Below you will find a few ways to encourage better sleep hygiene: 

Tip #1

Don’t work in your bed. The goal is to make sure your body consistently associates your bed with sleeping. Limit waking activities to the living spaces in your home.  No eating and working from home in your bed!

Tip #2

Establishing a regular sleeping routine by going to bed at the same time each night is one way to ensure your body gets the rest it needs to stay healthy.  Pick a time and stick with it!

Tip #3

Eating for good sleep.  Certain foods can help you relax and drift off into dreamland easier. Incorporating these foods in your diet can make all the difference in getting solid, restful sleep.  Imagine a nice warm chamomile tea or tart cherry juice after your evening meal. Listen to your body. If lactose bothers your digestion, find a better swap for that bowl of ice cream that is your nightly snack. The food you eat affects the amount of energy your body has throughout the day and night, as well as how alert or relaxed you are when it’s time to go to bed. 

Lastly, we can see that adequate sleep is essential for good physical and mental health. The quality of our sleep affects our day-to-day functioning, from our emotional well-being to our productivity levels. It is important to take steps to ensure we get enough restful sleep each night. Incorporating a few new techniques to encourage better sleep hygiene is a great first start.

Want to know more? Book an Integrative Mental Health Consult with me!

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Blackwelder A, Hoskins M, Huber L. Effect of Inadequate Sleep on Frequent Mental Distress. Prev Chronic Dis 2021;18:200573. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd18.200573external icon 

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