To say that modern life is stressful is at most times an understatement. No one is immune to the feeling. From the time we are babies, we learn to find ways to cope with this stress. Be it, using a pacifier, being rocked, listening to soothing music. As any parent or caretaker knows, there is nothing you won’t do to keep a baby or child stress-free. These coping mechanisms are kept or modified throughout the aging process for us to deal with new and recurring stressors on the body, mind and spirit. It is important as adults that we come to find some healthy, simple ways to reduce and eliminate stress in our daily lives so that, when necessary, we have a reserve of vitality to deal with stressors that we cannot avoid.
Stress is found to be one of the main causes of disease in modern America, whereas in less industrialized nations, it is often due to things such as a lack of sanitary drinking water, leading to waterborne diseases. The main difference here is that many times having stressful situations and people in our lives is a choice, while for many, creating a disease-free environment and/or lifestyle is not accessible. Many readers may have the ability to create relatively stress-free lifestyles once they become aware of stressors in their life.
As we are constantly breathing, one important way to curb stress is through the use of different breathing methods. It is not uncommon for people to regularly breathe solely up into the chest cavity. Unfortunately, this type of breathing creates a “fight or flight” response in the body, activating the adrenal glands and putting us into a state of heightened alert. To combat this constant strain on the body, we can practice what is called belly breathing. It is, quite simply, breathing fully out into the belly, in stead of up into the chest. The easiest way to begin practicing this technique is by laying flat on your back on the floor. If this is uncomfortable, a bed will work, but a firmer surface will be more helpful. While lying on your back, gently tuck the tailbone to work the small of the back closer to the ground. Shimmey the shoulders down the floor til they are flush with the ground and you feel the full back heavy in the earth. Breathe normally as you get grounded in this position. After a few rounds of breath, work on pressing the belly down toward the backbone/floor, as you exhale. Let the belly gently rebound on the inhale, pressing up with the breath and filling with air fully in the belly from the base of the abdomen to the collar bones. Keep shoulders pressed against the floor as you exhale fully, pressing the belly down toward the mat and the backbone. Continue with multiple rounds of this breath becoming aware of what it is like to breathe into the belly, and noticing how it feels as the belly rises and drops. This technique can also be done sitting or standing, but is easiest to begin practicing lying down. For added benefit and strengthening of the core muscles, one can add weight, such as a sandbag or book on top of the belly while doing this exercise.
