Need to Blow That Stress Away? Breathe, Baby, Just Breathe

There’s a pop culture reference in that title. Can you source it? If so, good on ya’. If not, well, maybe I’ll tell you later.

It’s not exactly a surprise that we’re all pretty stressed out nowadays. In fact, if you’re not stressed then, damn, I want to be reading your advice, rather than have you reading mine.

Anyway, yes, yours truly has been pretty stressed out lately, and I’ve not been handling it as well as I could?

What do I mean?

I mean, I’ve dedicated entire posts to stress, its ill effects on your health, and potential mitigation strategies for it.

So what have I been doing? Working harder, exercising less, fussing over things beyond my control and letting my stress build up.

Today that stops.

I’ve also written about learning new habits by starting small and building day by day. Hey, that’s how I learned daily flossing at the tender age of 51.

So today I’ll take one small step in handling stress…breathing exercises. And to keep with my philosophy of starting small this is what Imma do:

  • Sit comfortably upright in my desk chair
  • Straighten my back
  • Arms straight, palms to knees
  • Chin up, eyes looking dead ahead
  • Close eyes
  • Breathe in for a slow count of 6
  • Breath out for a slow count of 8
  • Repeat 5 times.

This is Breathing Exercises 101. Hang on, I’m going to do that right now.

Okay, I’m back, and feeling a little better. Try it, you’ll feel better too.

And the quote in the title is from True Blood. Yeah, I like vampire stories, so what?