Breathe

Managing stress is easier said than done. One technique that is believed to be effective is that of deep breathing.



A key component to staying healthy is managing and reducing stress which can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression and anxiety.

Managing stress is easier said than done. One technique that is believed to be effective is that of deep breathing.

When we are stressed, our sympathetic nervous system is stimulated and leads to symptoms such as elevated heart rate, fast breathing, higher blood pressure, anxiety, body tension and irritability. This is often referred to as the fight or flight response.

Slow, deep breathing is said to counter the sympathetic nervous system. When we partake in deep breathing, we relax our muscles, slow down the heart rate, reduce blood pressure

The vagus nerve runs from the brainstem to the abdomen and is the main component of the parasympathetic nervous system. This is responsible for the body's "rest and digest' activities so triggering this helps calm you down, make you feel better and enables your ability to think rationally.

Square breathing is a technique that can calm your nervous system reducing the stress in your body. It is known to shift your energy and allow you to connect more deeply with your body.

When to use square breathing

Square breathing can be useful in many situations, including:

• In stressful or overwhelming situations 
• In high stress situations
• At night before sleep
• To reduce work stress
• To encourage creativity
• When setting your intentions for the day
• When needing to make a big decision

Getting set up for square breathing

Find a position where your body is open to allow your breath to flow freely. You might like to sit in a chair with back support or in a meditation position or even lie on the floor.

Setting an intention or image

Setting an intention for your practice can assist if being able to focus. Your intention could be “relaxation,” or “healing” -- whatever you find engaging and authentic for you.

How to do square breathing

• Begin by slowly exhaling all of your air out.
• Then, gently inhale through your nose to a slow count of 4.
• Hold at the top of the breath for a count of 4.
• Then gently exhale through your mouth for a count of 4.
• At the bottom of the breath, pause and hold for the count of 4.

If the image of a square works for you, you can imagine your breath and the pauses/holds in between the breath moving around the image of the square.

It doesn’t require any special equipment, and you can practice just about anywhere! 

Taking just a few moments every day to concentrate and breathe deeply will calm your mind and body, giving you an opportunity to hit the reset button and get refreshed!