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Take a deep breath

Life can feel hard. Maybe we are experiencing frequent changes and disappointments. Perhaps a situation or person is challenging us daily. Our workload might be daunting or the to-do list seems to never end.  

When things feel beyond our control, it can be difficult to navigate our emotions and understand what we need in the moment.  

Taking a deep breath can help. Deep breathing is an effective tool to regulate our emotions. When we observe and slow our breathing, especially when we feel overwhelmed, anxious, or stressed, our body sends messages to our brain to calm down and relax.

In today’s Wellness Wednesday, we try a deep breathing strategy.

Try this:

As a class, group or family:

  • Try the “Take Five Breathing” activity. Here is a link to a video (https://youtu.be/sh79w9pn9Cg) or you can follow the instructions below:
  • Spread out one of your hands and fingers just like a star with your palm facing towards you. Pretend that the pointer finger of the other hand is a pencil and that you are going to trace an outline of your hand.
  • Starting at the bottom of your thumb on the outside of your hand, slide your point finger up your thumb and pause at the top. Then slide your finger down the other side. Now slide your pointer finger up your second finger, pause, and slide down the other side.
  • Continue tracing your fingers like this. Up, pause, down, pause. Notice how it feels. Keep tracing until you have reached the outside of your pinky.
  • Now add some breathing. Breathe in through your nose slowly when your finger is moving up. Breathe out through your mouth as your finger moves down. If you are struggling to breathe through your nose, pretend you are smelling an amazing flower and then sighing because it smells good.
  • Here are some other guided breathing exercises that you can also try:
  • “Finding Calm – Guided Breathing” (1:41) from SMHO https://youtu.be/le2TO_MNFxE
  • “Brain Break” (5:00) from MindUP https://youtu.be/ZzAre5TDK7g
  • “Breathing Exercises for Kids” (3:27) https://youtu.be/AmrCGgiXxU8
  • “Calm Breathing” (audio clips) anxietycanada.com/articles/calm-breathing-audio/
  • “Examen Guided Prayer” (audio): https://pray-as-you-go.org/player/prayer%20tools/
  • Ask yourself, there is no wrong answer:

How could a deep breathing strategy work in your life?

Are there times that taking a breath may help you calm down?

Connecting to our faith:

“Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7)

On the day that God created us, He took a deep breath in and inhaled all His love, joy, happiness, peace, kindness, forgiveness, gratitude and then He exhaled and breathed into us all His love, peace, kindness, forgiveness, and gratitude for ourselves and to be shared with others. Taking time to focus on breath can help students prepare their body and mind reflection and prayer.

“Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:11)

Further learning:

 

Employees of LDCSB check out WorkLifeHealth from EAP Provider Morneau Sheppell.

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