By Angela Ruggiero, CTRS
The holiday season is an exciting and joyful time of the year. It’s a time of brilliant decorations, family, friends, celebrating and delicious food. It is also a time filled with planning, crowds, errands and financial strain. Let’s face it, the holidays can be very stressful. In the season of giving, I encourage you to be generous to yourself as well!
Yoga has become an increasingly popular form of exercise in western culture, but did you know that yoga is not only beneficial for your physical body, but your emotional and spiritual wellness as well.
Yoga teaches us to bring our focus inward, offering us a tool to use when we need to find calm and stillness. There are numerous breathing techniques practiced in yoga that help us feel more relaxed and can help to significantly reduce the negative effects of stress. Here are three breathing techniques you can use to decrease stress and help you feel more relaxed and refreshed this holiday season. Try them at your desk or from the comfort of your own home!
Breathing Techniques:
- Close your eyes. Keeping your mouth closed, bring your finger under your nose and breathe in your normal rhythm. Bring your attention to the air coming in and out of your nose. If your mind wanders or becomes distracted, gently guide your focus back to your breath. Repeat for 10-20 rounds of inhaling and exhaling.
- Inhale through your nose, bringing your shoulders up towards your ears. Open your mouth and sharp exhale as you drop down your shoulders, making a “HUH” sound. Repeat several times.
- Inhale, count in your head to 4.
Exhale, count in your head to 4.
Continue doing this for several rounds of breath.
Inhale, count in your head to 5.
Exhale, count in your head to 5.
Continue doing this for several rounds of breath.
Continue increasing the count, working towards 8, but sticking with a count that is comfortable for you.
Continue breathing and counting for a set amount of time. You can use an alarm on your phone if you are alone.
Angela Ruggiero, CTRS, is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Therapist of Mather Hospital’s Recreation Therapy Department and is a trained Sensory Yoga Play Teacher.