Life is defined by breath: you take your first breath when you are born and your last breath the moment you die. The breath builds and repairs the structure of the physical body, and it maintains a balance between building material and the waste matter that cannot otherwise be removed.
When your physical body has been stressed and you feel fatigue, by inhaling a deep breath through the nostrils, holding it for a number of seconds, and then suddenly expelling it, also through the nostrils, you can strip your unwanted feelings from the body and bring it into a state of balance and well-being.
Remember: always try to breathe through your nostrils, and not your mouth, because air must contact the olfactory (sense of smell) nerves to stimulate your brain and put it into its natural rhythm. If you do not breathe through your nose, in a sense you are only half alive.
One specific way to overcome daily stress is through proper breathing.
Place one hand on your chest and one hand on your belly. Take a few breaths and notice which hand is moving. If it is your upper hand, you are stress breathing. If it is your lower hand, you are breathing deeply (and properly) from your diaphragm. Once you have mastered the art of proper breathing, try “The 4-4-4 Breath”. It goes like this:
1 – Inhale while counting to four very slowly.
2 – Hold your breath for a slow count of four.
3 – Exhale to a slow count of four.
Five to ten exhales of this simple exercise will leave you feeling calm and very relaxed. This exercise is so enjoyable and works extremely well.
References:
Weil, N. (2011) If Stress Doesn’t Kill You, Your Family Might. Rochester, NY: CJM Books
Fulford, R. (1996) Touch of Life. New York, NY: Pocket Books