When You Want to Roar
Tell me you are a parent with young kids without telling me you’re a parent with young kids. I’ll go first: “When you feel so mad that you want to roar, take a deep breath and count to 4.” Recognize that? This song from Daniel Tiger is essentially mindfulness and breathwork in action. When we think about mental wellness, I am not sure a kids’ show comes to mind at first. But this kind of teaching is very well connected to the mental health world and this practice can help someone of any age!
Breathwork is a powerful mind-body practice using intentional and specific breathing techniques to regulate stress and manage anxiety. When you slow your breathing, especially the exhale, your body’s parasympathetic nervous system - meaning your body’s natural rest mode - is activated. It sends a signal to your brain that you are safe. Your heart rate and blood pressure are lowered and your mind begins to calm.
There are many, many different techniques that use breathwork for calming, healing, and processing trauma. Some you may recognize are diaphragmatic (belly) breathing and box breathing.
Box Breathing: inhale through your nose for 4 seconds. Hold your breath for 4 seconds. Exhale through your nose for 4 seconds, then hold again for 4 seconds. Repeat 4 to 6 times. For some people it helps to have a visual for when you are experiencing panic - box breathing has you create a mental image of a box for inhaling and exhaling.
Diaphragmatic Breathing: Sit or lie down in a comfortable position. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly. Inhale through your nose, feeling your belly rise while keeping your chest still. Exhale through your mouth, feeling your belly fall. Repeat for 3 to 5 minutes.
The more you practice these techniques, the more you train your body and mind to respond calmly to stressful situations and strong emotions. It will become less a technique and more a natural habit - like another power added to your toolkit.
For more stress tips, tune into our Lunch & Learn for August - Beat Burnout Before It Beats You. Go to fauquier-mha.org/events to register.
