Serenity now
Most of my clients are struggling to manage their stress in some way - it can manifest in irritability, overwhelm, time management issues, lack of sleep, anxiety, etc. We work on stress management in a number of different ways, but often the very first thing that needs to happen when doing this work, is an initial calming of the nervous system.
My favorite tool for doing this takes about 1-minute and provides immediate relief and long-lasting effects when done regularly. It’s called 4-7-8 Breathing, popularized by integrative medicine specialist Dr. Andrew Weil.
Here’s how you do it:
1: Gently touch the tip of your tongue just behind your top front teeth and let it rest there during the exercise.
2: Exhale all your air through the mouth, to start, through pursed lips, like you’re blowing up a balloon.
3: Close your mouth, and inhale through the nose (deep into the belly) for 4 counts
4: Hold your breath for 7 counts
5: Exhale all the air through the mouth again, through pursed lips, like you’re blowing up a balloon for 8 counts.
6: Do this for 4 cycles at a time.
It’s best to practice this exercise while seated (or lying down if you like), and if you can, before you start, take a moment to relax your shoulders and the muscles in your face. You can do it every morning and/or evening for proactive stress management benefits and in the moment whenever you’re stressed, just keep it to 4 cycles maximum each time.
This exercise is also excellent to do if you’re having trouble falling asleep.
Here’s a video of Dr. Andrew Weil demonstrating the technique.
Give it a try and let me know how it goes for you!