Wellness Tip - Breath Work

Jenny Sheetz, MA, CN, CMT
President, St. Joseph Institute

A simple breathing exercise, we call it "Breath Work," can be a powerful tool in reducing your level of stress.

In order to appreciate how this works, it is helpful to have a basic understanding of the autonomic nervous system which is divided into two parts. The parasympathetic nervous system allows you to "rest and digest," producing a sense of relaxation. The sympathetic nervous system shifts you to an excited state enabling you to react to threats through your ability to "fight, flight or freeze."

Often people become "sympathetically tuned" or "out of balance" with respect to the autonomic nervous system. Because of a fast-paced, hectic lifestyle we find ourselves stuck in the sympathetic response ready to fight, run or freeze. Breath Work re-connects you with your parasympathetic nervous system, making the relaxation response familiar, and giving you an opportunity to create balance in your body by controlling your breathing, and subsequently, your physiology.

The process is easy. Breathe in gently through your nose, letting your abdomen and chest expand. Exhale through your mouth, letting your chest relax. Develop a slow rhythm of inhale...pause...exhale...pause. If you practice this technique for even 5 or 10 minutes a day, you will experience benefits. Look for immediate benefits such as a relaxation response in your body and greater clarity in thinking. Long term benefits will manifest as greater resilience in managing stress and an improvement in your sense of wellbeing.