Post by Magnus Mulliner on Aug 14, 2009 18:06:27 GMT
Breathing…
Not many of my clients who arrived at the health studio over the past two years have been free from fight or flight!
Maybe just from the stress of driving in one way Kendal traffic, from leaving work, the kids asking for things, the economy, the boss wanting more – the reasons may seem small but the effects are all too similar to the physical body.
Here are some ways that fight or flight affects us:
26% Nervous energy
24% Headaches
19% Irritability
12% Fatigue
11% Depression
8% Other
Remember, your stress is like a smoke alarm. It is warning you that something is not working right and I class it as a symptom!
Breath is a key indicator of whether you are in fight or flight. If you hold your breath habitually or are unable to breathe freely and deeply on a regular basis, you probably are in fight or flight. Many people inhale shallowly and fail to exhale fully.
Fear is a key factor behind the fight or flight response. How many times have you been gripped by fear, that underlying feeling that something is wrong, not being sure what, but just knowing and feeling something? In today’s society and in our day-to-day living, there are real and perceived fears.
Only the real fears that occur in the moment are things we should activate our bodies and minds about. But, the thing is your brain cannot tell the difference between real fear and perceived fear so it reacts the same way. The brain puts the sympathetic nervous system on guard and gets you ready to fight or run and here again we are walking around holding our breath.
Adrenal stress is the next key indication of being in fight or flight. This can eventually lead to total exhaustion, where your body has to agree to rest to build back up your reserves of energy. We all need energy to accomplish our goals. Goals are ideas and things that your spirit wants you to accomplish because it brings you joy and pleasure. But when you are in adrenal stress your body and mind cannot move you towards your goals.
The easiest way to get out of this pattern of fight or flight, fear and adrenal stress is to learn what the indicators are, to pay attention to them and then remember to breathe properly.
In order to allow yourself to do this you need to focus on the things that shut your breath off. Just think about the last time you were frightened and how you automatically sucked in your breath. Did you remember to then breathe out deeply? Think of watching a scary movie. You sit through it holding your breath on the edge of your seat. Did you remember after the movie to tell yourself relax, breathe deeply and remind your conscious mind that what you saw was not real?
Not eating may take you over 50 days to die. Not drinking it could take up to two weeks to die, depending on what you are eating. Not breathing you could be brain dead in less than five minutes!
Which of these three factors - food, water or breath - do we hear more about in the media? I am sure it is food and then a little about the quality of water but for sure not enough about the importance of proper breathing.
We desire for you to know, experience and receive the rewards of living without being in fight or flight.
I invite you on a journey to PRACTICE deep, slow breathing two minutes each day. Open or close your eyes when performing it. Feel how your sides, spine, stomach & chest moves. Find the right speed right for you to feel great breathing in and slowly releasing. It will I guarantee relax you and make you feel so much better and as an added bonus… it costs you nothing but TIME (a man made creation) to stat to take control of your health. My Second Habit “Remember how to breathe like a baby” Enjoy
Not many of my clients who arrived at the health studio over the past two years have been free from fight or flight!
Maybe just from the stress of driving in one way Kendal traffic, from leaving work, the kids asking for things, the economy, the boss wanting more – the reasons may seem small but the effects are all too similar to the physical body.
Here are some ways that fight or flight affects us:
26% Nervous energy
24% Headaches
19% Irritability
12% Fatigue
11% Depression
8% Other
Remember, your stress is like a smoke alarm. It is warning you that something is not working right and I class it as a symptom!
Breath is a key indicator of whether you are in fight or flight. If you hold your breath habitually or are unable to breathe freely and deeply on a regular basis, you probably are in fight or flight. Many people inhale shallowly and fail to exhale fully.
Fear is a key factor behind the fight or flight response. How many times have you been gripped by fear, that underlying feeling that something is wrong, not being sure what, but just knowing and feeling something? In today’s society and in our day-to-day living, there are real and perceived fears.
Only the real fears that occur in the moment are things we should activate our bodies and minds about. But, the thing is your brain cannot tell the difference between real fear and perceived fear so it reacts the same way. The brain puts the sympathetic nervous system on guard and gets you ready to fight or run and here again we are walking around holding our breath.
Adrenal stress is the next key indication of being in fight or flight. This can eventually lead to total exhaustion, where your body has to agree to rest to build back up your reserves of energy. We all need energy to accomplish our goals. Goals are ideas and things that your spirit wants you to accomplish because it brings you joy and pleasure. But when you are in adrenal stress your body and mind cannot move you towards your goals.
The easiest way to get out of this pattern of fight or flight, fear and adrenal stress is to learn what the indicators are, to pay attention to them and then remember to breathe properly.
In order to allow yourself to do this you need to focus on the things that shut your breath off. Just think about the last time you were frightened and how you automatically sucked in your breath. Did you remember to then breathe out deeply? Think of watching a scary movie. You sit through it holding your breath on the edge of your seat. Did you remember after the movie to tell yourself relax, breathe deeply and remind your conscious mind that what you saw was not real?
Not eating may take you over 50 days to die. Not drinking it could take up to two weeks to die, depending on what you are eating. Not breathing you could be brain dead in less than five minutes!
Which of these three factors - food, water or breath - do we hear more about in the media? I am sure it is food and then a little about the quality of water but for sure not enough about the importance of proper breathing.
We desire for you to know, experience and receive the rewards of living without being in fight or flight.
I invite you on a journey to PRACTICE deep, slow breathing two minutes each day. Open or close your eyes when performing it. Feel how your sides, spine, stomach & chest moves. Find the right speed right for you to feel great breathing in and slowly releasing. It will I guarantee relax you and make you feel so much better and as an added bonus… it costs you nothing but TIME (a man made creation) to stat to take control of your health. My Second Habit “Remember how to breathe like a baby” Enjoy