HOLISTIC TIPS: How to Breathe

Welcome back to another monthly Holistic Tips episode! This month we talking about breathing! Specifically, how to breathe to better manage our anxiety and anger. I first dive into the differences between thoracic (shallow/chest) vs diaphragmatic (deep/ belly) breathing and how shallow breath could be contributing to your mental, physical, and emotional impairments. Afterward, I highlight the significance of utilizing breathing techniques to shift out of our stress response within the sympathetic nervous system and into our rest/digest state of the parasympathetic nervous system outlined in Polyvagal Theory. In the end, I share the following breathing strategies and how-tos of each to help you start to feel more at ease. Let's get into it! 1. Alternating/ Alternative- Nostril Breathing 2. Belly Breathing 3. Box Breathing 4. 4-7-8 Breathing 5. Lion's Breath 6. Mindful Breathing 7. Pursed-Lip Breathing 8. Hand Breathing 9. Coherent Breathing 10. Balloon Breathing