Great Yarmouth Samaritans look at ten simple things you can do to improve your wellbeing.
We all want quick and easy ideas to improve our health and wellbeing. Great Yarmouth Samaritans pick ten 'simple things' that can easily fit into our daily routine.
Tenth, and last, in our series of 'simple things' you can try: Deep Breaths
This is an example of a 'simple thing' that is quick, easy and completely life changing; it can transform your mood and your health, as well as brinmg a quiet joy to your day. Just try to spend a few minutes each day practising slow, controlled breathing.
Just by changing how quickly and deeply you breathe, you can acheive amazing things: slow your heart rate, lower your blood pressure, reduce stress and combat anxiety.
It can appear difficult to take slow, deep breathes, especially when you are stressed. That is why it is important to practise every day. Ian Robertson, professor of psychology at Trinity College Dublin says, "When very busy or stressed we tend to hold our breath, or breathe more rapidly, which can make us feel more panicked; and unless we have made deep breathing a very well-practised habit, we are unlikely to do it in time to glean its benefits."
How does slow breathing actually make a difference? Robertson says that when you slow your breathing, you change carbon dioxide levels in your blood, and this reduces the levels of noradrenaline, which helps make you feel calm. Also, the deep breathing causes your heart to slow and your blood pressure to drop, having an additional calming effect.
Many studies show that controlling your breathing can be a really effective way to control anxiety. And preforming breathing exercises can also improve your decision making because the noradrenaline system is critical to how well focused we are in a task and how much we feel in control, of what we are doing.
Try these breathing techniques:
- 4:6 - breathe in for a count of four and out for a count of six
- 4:2:4 - breathe in for a count of four, hold for two, then breathe out for a count of four
- 3:4:5 - breathe in for count of three, hold for four, then breathe out for count of five