60 Seconds to Calm

This technique can be done in 60 seconds and will help reduce your stress and anxiety by helping you tap into your parasympathetic nervous system “rest and digest”. This is returning the body to a calm state.

Anxiety is only helpful in small doses, when it gets too high it can be debilitating. A quick way to reduce your stress and anxiety is to change the way your breath. Your breath has the ability to bring in self-regulation and help you to stay focused and calm.

Whatever challenge you have ahead, follow these simple steps to help reduce your stress and anxiety so you have more productive energy and focus, you can use this anytime any place:

  1. Notice Your Breath and place your hand below your belly button
  2. Consciously send your breath to the bottom of your stomach into your hand
  3. Inhale for 4 counts
  4. As you count feel your stomach rise and feel the air move up into your rib cage expanding it to the sides
  5. Hold your breath for 2 seconds
  6. Exhale your breath slowly for a count of 5 or 6 making your exhale longer than your inhale
  7. As you count bring your belly button towards your spine to squeeze the air out at the bottom of the exhale
  8. Hold the air out for 2 counts
  9. Repeat the affirmation: I am safe, and I can do this.
  10. Repeat this process 5 more times

When you feel anxiety symptoms or anxiety signs occuring your stress levels increase and you increase the response from your sympathetic “fight or flight” system, this increases adrenaline production and makes it hard to focus on the task ahead. Unless managed successfully in these early moments the symptoms can quickly increase leading to an anxiety attack.

Breathing seems like a very simple answer for your anxiety and, of course, this is not the designed to be the complete answer to dealing with the issue of anxiety.

However, it can be used as a method to control an anxiety attack – it gives you the power and control to manage your symptoms during difficult or challenging times.

Leave this webpage open on your phone so you can quickly find it and work through the breathing technique when needed most.

This technique should be “trained” similarly to how you would exercise at the gym to improve your running times or increase your strength. If you bring this exercise into your daily routine you will start to transform your relationship to how you respond to stress and anxiety.

Breathing helps to quiet the mind and soothe the nervous system making it easier for you to accomplish what you need to each day.

Remember, you have the control:-)

 

Here’s a link to the NHS anxiety help page, which contains lots of useful website links to various mental health organisations and charities.