5 Good Reasons to Try Breathwork
"Engaging in breath work on a regular basis can significantly improve your stress levels, your mental health, and your overall well-being.
SKY Breath Meditation is a comprehensive 20-minute breathing protocol offered by international nonprofits: Project Welcome Home Troops (for veterans/military) and Art of Living (for the general community). Here's what we found in our studies on SKY Breath Meditation.
5 Major Benefits
3. Breathing builds stress resilience.
When placed in a stressful situation (e.g., "You have to go speak on stage"), those who practiced SKY (as opposed to a cognitive therapy), were more stress resilient.
4. Breathing improves posttraumatic stress—even long-term.
Similarly, in a study with veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan who struggled with trauma, we found that not only did SKY Breath Meditation normalize their anxiety levels after just one week, but they also continued to experience the mental health benefits a full year later.
5. Breathing can be as effective for trauma as therapy.
A recent study we ran for veterans with posttraumatic stress showed that practicing SKY Breath Meditation improved posttraumatic stress to the same extent as cognitive processing therapy—the gold standard therapeutic treatment for trauma."
How to Start a Breathing Practice
In this exercise, you will trigger relaxation by lengthening the exhales. Breathe in for a count of four and out for a count of eight. Breathe through your nose, ideally with your eyes closed and your hands open on your lap. Do this for five minutes. It can help a lot with momentary stress.
Read the complete article available at Psychology Today!
Reflection:
Do you do any breathing exercises? If so, how have they helped?
#Breathwork #Stress #Trauma #Coping
@comfortableNight4463
Yes! My go to is the 4-7-8 breathing technique.
It helps ground me whenever I start feeling anxious!
Thanks for the post :)💛💫
@innateJoy9602 Same here! It has been a life-saver in many instances. Thanks for sharing!
@comfortableNight4463 i recently started practicing breathing techniques and other forms of mindfulness. I instantly felt better and can't wait to see the long term benefits!
@calmDew1576 That's great! Breathing techniques help a lot to ground yourself when you're feeling anxious or panicked. I hope everything goes well. Thanks for sharing!