Simple Self-Care: Belly Breathing

Take a deep breath for a count of five and think about where in your body the breath entered. Did your shoulders raise or did your belly go out? Typically adults who have not been trained in how to take a proper deep breath will take more shallow breaths filling the chest indicated by raising shoulders. In order to take a full, deep, cleansing breath you want your belly to go in and out.

Try this exercise. Sit in a chair and place your hands horizontally on your belly, finger tips touching by the belly button. As you breathe in focus on keeping your shoulders down and pushing your belly out. As your belly expands with air, your fingers should separate. This may take multiple tries because it is easy for people to get stuck in shallow breathing patterns. After you have been able to take five good, deep belly breaths think about if you feel a difference between shallow shoulder breaths, versus deep belly breaths. Most people will say they feel a big difference!

The next time you are feeling stressed, anxious or sadness take five to ten deep belly breaths and see if it makes a difference.

Sending you well wishes!