Take 5 Minutes a Day To Be With Your Breath

When you are tired, overworked, anxious and feeling strained there is normally quite a lot of muscle tension that comes along for the ride. Ever noticed those stiff shoulders, neck or back? That tension is there not only because you might have sat at your desk, on your computer, for 6 hours straight- but it’s a sign of something bigger.

It’s a sign that you may not be taking time out to check in with your body to see how it’s coping with the day. When you practice regular deep breathing you will find that your muscles will relax, aches and pains will become less and you will feel ‘lighter” and be able to think more clearly. If you’re not sure how to breathe deeply, then find a relaxation or yoga class close to you, where these practices are encouraged and taught.

Otherwise, you can start at home right now. Just find a quiet spot, make yourself comfortable- you can lie down if you want, and just place your hands below your navel resting on your lower abdomen. Practice trying to send your breath low enough so that your hands move on the in and out breath. Don’t force the breath and if you feel dizzy, just allow your breath to return to its normal pattern.

You might want to practice with 12 breaths in and out to start with- and then just rest. Once that feels comfortable I often encourage people to sigh on their out breath- it’s a turbo charged way of releasing all the deeply held tension in your body.

So start, breathing, sighing and relaxing. Your body will love you for it!