Diaphragmatic Breathing: A Quick Way to Reset
Diaphragmatic Breathing.
Feeling stressed? Tired? Sad? Overwhelmed? Take a quick breathing break to reset! Breathing techniques are something I recommend to all my clients, and quite frankly everyone in my life! Why?
They are effective. Don’t take my word for it—the science speaks for itself! Diaphragmatic breathing is one of the quickest ways to slow you down physiologically. It resets us by kicking on our parasympathetic nervous system, better known as the “rest and digest” system.
It doesn’t cost you anything! So often our coping mechanisms are limited by financial constraints. For example, I would love to get a massage at the spa everyday, but financially speaking, that isn’t sustainable for me. Breathing however, is free!
It is always available to us. Whether we are conscious of it or not, we are breathing constantly. This means we have access to it whenever and wherever we are! At work? No problem! Driving? Still there! In the middle of nowhere? You get my point.
It’s discreet. As mentioned before, as humans, we need to breathe to survive, so everyone is breathing all the time. This means that if you are focusing internally on your breath while in public, chances of people noticing are slim.
It’s fast! Diaphragmatic breathing can reset your nervous system within minutes, sometimes even seconds!
I could keep going, but the point is clear: breath work is accessible, effective, and worth a try!
There are many different types of breathing techniques that you can try. This post focuses on diaphragmatic breathing. You may have heard this referred to as “belly breaths.” Essentially, it is taking deep breaths that fill up your entire diaphragm. It can be helpful to think of your diaphragm as a balloon. The opening of the balloon represents the opening of your airway. When we are anxious or stressed, we are taking shallow breaths. Think about when you try to blow up a balloon and it gets stuck, not expanding as you want it to. Much like the balloon, when our breath is short and shallow, we are not utilizing or expanding our diaphragm. This can initiate our fight or flight response, adding to the stress we feel physically and mentally. To counteract that, you want to slow the breath and deepen it through “belly breaths.”
Let’s try!
Find a comfortable position. This can be standing, sitting, or laying down. Whatever feels most comfortable in this moment.
Start to draw your attention to your breath. Not judging it, simply acknowledging its pace and flow.
Now place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly. Continue to breathe normally and notice which hand is moving.
Once you settle in, start to breathe in and out through your nose. This will naturally start to slow the breath.
As you continue, see if you can lengthen the breath. Try taking a deeper inhale and exhale.
Draw your attention back to your hands. At this point your breath has been slowed. See if you can channel the breath into your belly, raising the hand resting there. This may take some time, be patient with yourself! Eventually you want to feel both hands rise and fall with your breaths, rising with your inhales, and falling with your exhales. When you get there, stay with that breath flow for as long as you want. Take your time coming back to the moment, refocusing on your surroundings.
With time and practice you will begin to be able to regulate your breath and engage in diaphragmatic breathing quickly!
If you enjoy breathing techniques or want to be guided through them do not hesitate to reach out! There are also plenty of guided breathwork videos online. They vary in length, allowing you to choose one that fits your schedule.
Enjoy! … and breathe…
