When you’re stressed, your nervous system is often on high alert and becomes over zealous in perceiving everything as a potential threat. This means you can be hyper-sensitive, looking for a fight, or running for the hills…..if you’ve managed to get yourself out of bed.

One of the most effective ways to calm an over zealous nervous system is to use the breath.

I know that when you’re stressed you might not feel like you have the time, the patience, or the desire to do a breath practice, but please trust me when I say it will be one of the best things you can do for yourself.

And, you’re owning your choices, right? If just a few minutes of doing a breath practice can change the way you feel and help you to get back in control of life, then it’s worth it…..you don’t even have to enjoy doing it, you just need to do it.

Try doing this simple practice every day. Start by doing just 5 breaths at a time and aim to build that up to about 10 minutes every day, or more frequently if you need to. You can also take just a few breaths of this practice any time you feel stressed, upset, anxious, stuck, or when you just need a minute to yourself. Try it next time you are waiting at a red traffic light, in a queue, or raging at an email you’ve just read…

Here it is….

Inhale for a count of 4. Exhale for a count of 6.

That’s it. It’s that simple. I should say though, that there shouldn’t be any strain in your breath, so if there is then do whatever count feels comfortable to you so long as the exhalation is slightly longer than the inhalation. This helps to switch on the relaxation response in your nervous system to signal to it that you are safe and all is well.

Talking of breathing space, and this might not apply to everyone. How is your relationship with your mobile phone? Have you becoming addicted to scrolling? Checking emails. Checking social media. Checking the news. Checking the weather. Checking this. Checking that. Checkaholic? An addiction is a term that means compulsive physiological need for and use of something and it starts to have a negative impact on daily life.

Have you ever thought about just how much information your brain is having to process? Is it any wonder we feel overwhelmed?

Now I am not saying this applies to you. And there isn’t a right or a wrong. There is just choice. 

If you do think it would be worth the experiment to cut down on your checkaholic tendencies then try these top 3 tips.

1. Don’t have your phone in your bedroom at night.
2. Don’t look at your phone whilst eating.
3. Every time you feel the urge to pick your phone up to ‘just check something,’ ask yourself if you really need to, or is it just habit?