Breathing Through Anxiety

Hey there,

It's Jamie here.

And in this video,

We're gonna be talking about the importance of your breath when it comes to supporting an experience of anxiety.

Anxiety can hit us all at different times in our lives,

This sense of alarm,

This warning sign within the nervous system that tells us that there is a threat.

But oftentimes when we're in this heightened state,

We can perceive threats where there are none.

And we can use the breath to directly influence the state of the nervous system to ease and soothe anxiety.

One really important thing that I want you to understand and take on board when it comes to using your breath to support anxiety is that we're not trying to get rid of the anxiety.

We cannot push it away.

We cannot fight it or resist it.

We're using our breath to give us space to be with the anxiety.

We're not in a battle with it.

We're supporting ourselves through it by creating space within to allow it to move and to allow it to find a place to complete.

One of my favorite techniques with the breath to support anxiety is a very simple extended exhale breath.

I like to do this breathing deeply in through the nose,

Down into the lower belly with the diaphragm,

And then blowing the exhale softly,

Gently,

And slowly out through the mouth.

When we extend and lengthen that exhale,

We slow the heart rate.

We activate our nervous system's rest and digest mode,

That parasympathetic response.

So we're gonna take five really nice,

Slow,

Intentional cycles of that extended exhale breath together.

So following me,

Find a comfortable position.

If you feel comfortable gently closing the eyes,

You can do that now.

And take a deep,

Slow,

Steady breath down into the belly.

As you reach the top of that inhale,

Gently blow the exhale out through the mouth,

Extending and lengthening that breath.

I'm feeling the whole body soften here with that exhale.

As you reach the end of that exhale,

Picking up that next inhale in through the nose.

Good,

And slowly extending that exhale out through the mouth.

We've got three more of this breath.

Really see how much you can allow the body to soften.

You can allow the nervous system to start to settle.

The mind can start to quieten as you move through these final three cycles of that breath in your own time.

Good,

Coming through those last two cycles here.

There's no rush.

Allow yourself to go as slowly as you need to.

This is all about softness and slowness and easing our system and ourselves back into a space of rest.

As you finish that final cycle of that breath,

Just allow everything to come back to center.

Know that you can come back to this breath at any time,

Whenever you need it to support yourself with stress,

With anxiety,

And to find that moment of calm amongst the chaos.