The winter holidays can be a pretty stressful time. We see family and friends in greater numbers and frequency. Our normal routines are disrupted as we try to fit in as many holiday activities as we can. Many of us feel a sense of time urgency as we struggle to get it all "done" before some important date or event.
Often, the result is that we become overextended, under-rested and emotionally frazzled. Yet each of us has a built in stress reduction technology that is available 24/7/365. It requires no batteries, plugs or special adapters. Best of all, it is free and easy to use. It is our breath.
When I pay attention, I see that reminders about the importance of breathing abound. One of my professors in the counseling program at Oakland University told our class that one of the best things we could ever do is to teach our clients how to breathe. My yoga and meditation teachers are always offering new ways to make direct contact with the breath, and I pass these reminders along to my students. A while back I was sharing a frustration with my adult daughter and she looked at me and said, "Just breathe, Mom." She is so wise.
The way we breathe can alter our physiology and improve our mood. A few moments of slow and deep breathing can stimulate our parasympathetic nervous system and calm us down. It can short circuit a "fight or flight" stress reaction and halt the release of stress hormones into our bodies. It can decrease our serum cholesterol and lower our blood pressure, among other things. And, as this article from NPR describes, your calming breath can even change the expression of genes, altering the activity of the cells in your brain.
Contact me if you'd like to know more about how to use your breath to improve your health. The Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction classes that I offer are a great place to learn to harness the power of your own breath.
In the meanwhile, if the stress of the holidays starts to diminish the quality of your life, just take my daughter's advice and "Just breathe."
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