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In my first blog last month I wrote about some possible causes of brainwave dysregulation from genetic predisposition to too much or too little of almost anything. The main focus of this blog is to give you my top strategy for stress relief and self-regulation. You can implement this skill all by yourself ….today. Of course none of the self-regulation strategies that I will share over the next few months are magic. They won’t make you feel better immediately but possibly overnight!
It is difficult for me to prioritize which strategies will help you the most and quickest, because they all do work together to synchronize and regulate your brain and body. Here goes.
My number one tip for emotional and physiological self-regulation is the art and science of breathing. You are probably saying to yourself, everyone breathes. Big deal. Please don’t leave me yet. From all my years of counseling in the private practice world and all my years of teaching in higher education, I have discovered that the majority of you do not know how to breathe well and efficiently from the diaphragm. Unless you had special training for singing and yoga, most of you are shallow breathers and that truly helps in becoming more anxious. Truly, you can not be physiologically anxious, if you are breathing correctly!
The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle located beneath the lung cavity. This muscle flattens and contracts when breathing. This is the muscle that you need to use first when breathing. The biggest benefit of this type of breathing is it helps your brain better absorb glucose and oxygen. This also helps you begin to relax and overall improve your daily life. This could be the start of your own peak performance. More on peak performance in another blog.
Just for a moment focus on your breathing. How fast are you breathing? Notice your shoulders, chest and diaphragm. Are you breathing shallowly from your chest?
Begin to focus on your breathing today and tomorrow. If you are like the average adult, you tend to breathe 15 to 20 times per minute. That is a lot of breaths.
When I am teaching clients and students to breathe diaphragmatically and learn this relaxation response, I am targeting the breathing cycle to be around 6 breaths per minute. Now that is a huge difference between 20 cycles per minute and 6 cycles!
I teach this rhythmic diaphragmatic breathing to everyone. Try this exercise now. Count slowly from 1 to 5 seconds as you inhale through your nose. Then exhale to the count of five by blowing out through open, pursed lips. Imagine smelling roses while inhaling, and blowing out candles while exhaling. If you did this for 6 cycles of a ten second count, you would have practiced for one entire minute. After this first minute, take note of how you are feeling in your body and brain. I think you will begin to feel more relaxed and even warmer as your skin temperature increases. Your blood can flow more freely when you are relaxed, so there is more oxygen going to your brain. I often ask clients to lie down on the floor and place a book on the diaphragm. When you begin to breathe correctly, the book should rise first.
So when you can’t sleep or you feel anxious and stressed out, I want you to check your breathing. Practice this very simple breathing formula of a 10 second count. I don’t care if you even have to go into a bathroom stall to focus on your breathing and get away. Just do it. I am constantly using this breathing strategy on a daily basis for my own self-regulation. Diaphragmatic breathing will become your best friend and by far the best and necessary self-regulation skill you can accomplish.
I will keep adding to our foundation of self-regulation skills each month. Watch out. You will have so much control over your own emotions and physiology you won’t know what to do. Oh, I have changed my mind. You will know what to do. You will live your life in a much more balanced and healthier lifestyle! The next time someone responds to your stress with, "Just take a deep breath," don't ignore them and get mad. Remember they are right!
Until next month.
For more information on brain dysregulation and neurocounseling make sure to check out the Bradley University Counseling Program.
