Perfect Poise, Perfect Life
Bring your body into balance and revolutionise your life
By Noel Kingsley
Publisher Hodder Mobius
AVAILABLE HERE
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Destress before Christmas!
In the week before Christmas we'd think that it's time for winding down, buying last-minute presents for loved ones and friends and getting into the festive mood. But it's surprising how many of us are feeling the stress, coping with late night parties and dinners as well as holiday preparations and a job that seems to demand as much from us this week as any other.
So it would be great if we can help ourselves cope a little better and despite all that's still to be done, to get into that relaxed, chilled out feeling and relieve a little of our anxieties. As our mood and emotions are inextricably linked up with our physical condition, we can take practical steps. For starters, a bit of exercise, running or whatever will help to diffuse some stress. But a great way is also to work on our breathing.
When we're stressed it's quite common for us to hold our breath. Indeed we probably restrict our breathing all the time through postural habits and we'll do it even more when we're stressed.
To stimulate your breathing and to calm you down, try the following:
Sit or stand upright and ‘think’ your neck loose. Without taking a special breath, breathe out quietly through your nose as much as you can to empty your lungs. Empty them completely, but avoid collapsing your posture. Stay upright. When you have expelled as much air as you can, release the tension around your ribs to allow them to expand and just let the air come in naturally. Do not suck or sniff air in. Try to let it come in naturally without effort. When you do this procedure well, you may find the air comes in, in two stages i.e. your lungs will replace what you expelled, then you may get a small amount extra. When you have completed this little procedure, breathe normally for two breaths then repeat the whole process again, up to 4-5 times. Do not continue to breathe this way. It is simply an exercise to stimulate your breathing. If you feel dizzy or faint, stop immediately.
Return to normal breathing afterwards.
Now get on with your day and remember to keep breathing!
