Benefits of Breathing Breaks

Chances are, at some point since COVID-19 shut the world down, you’ve experienced higher levels of stress or anxiety. Learning new systems for working virtually, being at work and at risk of exposure, or providing care for those who are sick, are all understandable reasons to feel an uptick in stress. Becoming aware of that uptick is the first step in preventing stress from becoming a chronic condition that can negatively impact your mental, emotional, and physical health.

Fortunately, the human body is remarkably adaptive and resilient. One tool we can use when we notice mental or physical exhaustion, or irritability, is our breath. Breathing is the only part of our autonomic nervous system that we can control at will. Breathing is a primary way that we take in energy. Every cell in our bodies requires a continual charge of oxygen to carry out their functions. The job of breathing is to supply this energy to the bloodstream, but since it has been happening automatically during every moment of your life, you've probably given it very little attention.

Yes, breathing still happens without the need for your conscious direction. Left alone, the body will do what it needs to do, and it will do it efficiently. But we don’t leave it alone. We insert thoughts, habits, and postures that restrict the flow of breath. The oxygen taken in with our breath is a life force – in yoga we refer to this as ‘prana’. When prana is low, we feel crappy.

Changing this tendency simply requires that we pay attention to our breath. Rather than thinking of this as adding something new to our ‘to do’ lists, we mostly need to remove the obstacles, the conditions, which block our breathing. When practiced regularly, we receive the positive imprint of how good it feels to breathe more fully. New habits are formed, and we appreciate the values that attending to breathing brings. We start to choose ways of being that are nourishing and life enhancing, instead of those that are energy depleting.

Give breathing breaks a try. Notice that when your body starts to feel tense, your energy is sluggish or your thoughts are negative. Set a timer for 1–2 minutes and just allow your body to breathe fully, deeply, smoothly. See if you notice one continuous inhalation, followed by one continuous exhalation. No worries if you don’t, just say “breathe” and start again. Consider adding a reminder to your daily calendar to take a breathing break. To help you, here’s a guided practice to try.

Enjoy and be well,

Colleen