The simplest tool for managing stress
A quick, free, and easy way to help manage stress
It’s not easy being a woman in your 40s.
Managing a career, dependent kids, ageing parents, community obligations, keeping in touch with friends, planning meals, holidays, life AND coping with the symptoms of hormone change in perimenopause.
It’s not that any of those things are bad. They just pull on our time and can raise our stress levels. We can end up constantly in fight or flight mode.
Over time this can have a negative impact on our blood pressure, digestion, sleep, mood, concentration AND it can exacerbate hot flushes, brain fog and anxiety which are already heightened as a result of declining levels of oestrogen and progesterone.
We can’t necessarily fix all of this overnight, but we can take small steps daily to keep those stress levels down as much as possible.
And one of my favourite tools is the breath. Simply taking a deep slow breath can help calm the nervous system and restore a bit of balance in your day. Here are some of my favourite breathing exercises:
4:8 breathing. Breath in through the nose for the count of 4 and exhale through slightly pursed lips for the count of 8. Slowing the out breath helps our body understand that it is safe. Repeat 10 times
Left nostril breathing. This has a really calming effect as it activates our Vagus Nerve. Simply hold the right nostril closed and breath in and out slowly through the left nostril. Do this several times a day.
Alternate nostril breathing. As above, but this time breath in through the left nostril, then close the left nostril and exhale through the right nostril. Breath in through the right nostril, then close the right nostril and exhale through the left. Repeat several times, ending with the exhale through the left nostril.
Square breathing. Breath in for 4, hold for 4, breath out for 4, hold for 4. Has a similar effect to number 1 above but I find the counting helps me stay connected to my breath on a busy-brain day.
Belly breath. I like to do this lying down, with my hand on my belly, and focus on lifting the belly as I inhale, and lowering as I exhale. Making it nice and slow. Imagining I’m inflating a balloon and gently letting it out. A lovely way to help the diaphragm muscle move through a bigger range and getting a bigger breath.
There are SO many more breathing exercises out there. Some great guided breathing exercises on meditation apps like Insight Timer too.
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