There's a lot we can do to offset feelings of anxiety and stress in our lives.
One of the best ways to calm ourselves is to breathe slowly.Try this exercise and notice the difference:
Take a slow breath (not a big deep breath!) in through the nose, breathing into your lower belly (for about 4 seconds)
Hold your breath for 1 or 2 seconds
Exhale slowly through the mouth (for about 4 seconds); blow it out slowly as if blowing out through a drinking straw.
Wait a few seconds before taking another breath
Repeat steps 1-4 until you feel calm
Anxiety is an emotion that is felt in the body as a physical sensation. Common sensations include rapid heart rate, feeling detached from your body, body tension, headaches and so on. It begins in the mind and is often accompanied by depression and fear.
We can alleviate the symptoms of anxiety with prescription medication but I prefer a more wholistic approach like yoga that addresses both our mental and physical states. I like the side effects too: greater self-awareness and understanding, feeling more in control, decreased pain and a more positive outlook.
Listen to this guided relaxation. I made this video for Rogers TV in 2013.
