Try a breathwork practice

Breathing is something we rarely think about, but studies show that conscious breathwork can do wonders for stress and anxiety by calming down the body’s ‘fight and flight’ response.

“When we’re anxious or stressed, a number of physiological things happen,” says yoga therapist and breathwork teacher Stacey Landau. “Our blood pressure rises, our heart beat increases and our breath becomes shallower and faster. It’s effectively our body’s way of preparing for action and dealing with a perceived threat.” That threat doesn’t have to be very big, or even real. “If we look at our lifestyles today, most of us are doing too much,” says Stacey. “If we’re constantly stressed, we can get stuck in a perpetual cycle that is detrimental to our wellbeing.”

Hormones also play a large part. Progesterone has natural sedative and calming effects, and declining levels during the menopause can see us more prone to anxiety. “The good thing is that by consciously working with our breath, we can activate the parasympathetic part of our nervous system, often termed as ‘rest and digest’,” Stacey says. Movement with breath can also be a good option. “If someone is feeling stressed, their breathing may already be ‘below suboptimal’ but often combining simple movement with breath can be a great way to slow your breathing down,” says Stacey.

TRY THIS:

■ Lie down or sit comfortably. Place one hand on your chest and one hand on your belly.

■ Gently breathe in and out through your nose, allowing the ribcage to expand and your belly to gently rise. Feel the retraction of your belly and your ribcage.

■ As you continue, try to lengthen the exhale so it becomes longer than the inhalation. This has a calming for your nervous system.

■ Start with six full breaths, aiming to practise for up to five minutes or more.