Getting married and feeling stressed?
It does happen!
You might have caught yourself holding your breath or taking quick and short shallow breaths as you experience others reactions to your plans.
Unfortunately, many people don’t know when to keep their thoughts to themselves when it comes to weddings and planning!
Perhaps it was more like a panic attack, which in turn results in even more anxiety and stress.
At a course, I learnt that one of the most effective ways to manage stress and prevent those feelings of anxiety is to do abdominal breathing. Sometimes called belly breathing. Abdominal breathing is when we are in a relaxed state and it soothes our nervous system therefore giving us a coping mechanism.
I recently read an article that gave a number of benefits through deep abdominal breathing.
They are:
1. Gives you feelings of calm and well-being.
2. Lowers your blood pressure and heart rate.
3. Balances your levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood.
4. Improves your immune system.
5. Gives you increased physical energy.
6. Reduces lactic acid build-up in your muscle tissue.
So how do you do abdominal breathing?
Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly.
Then take a deep breath in through your nose.
You will know you have it right when your belly rises, so the diaphragm (not your chest) is drawn down to inflate the ribcage and the lungs. Then very slowly breathe out.
Keep doing your deep breathing until you have got yourself into a state of relaxation and feel calm.
No drugs or other substances required.
Use your own body in this way and it will make you feel calm.