Whether you are having problems sleeping or just dealing with everyday stress, I’ve found deep breathing to a be great stress release and a way to get me to sleep fast! Stress activates the part of the nervous system known as the sympathetic nervous system commonly referred to as the “Fight or Flight” response and stress reduction techniques like deep breathing can activate what’s known as our parasympathetic nervous system commonly referred to as “Rest and Digest”. I don’t know about you, but I can use a little more “Rest and Digest”! Who wants to be in “Fight or Flight” all the time! That’s where deep breathing comes in!
One of the things I’ve learned during my low carb, high fat journey that has proven to be a great benefit in my overall wellness has been deep breathing! I didn’t realize how stressed I was and what it was doing to my health. I wanted to not only eat well, by changing over to a ketogenic diet but gain overall health! So I started deep breathing. At first, I was like “hmmmmm…I’m not sure this is my thang!”, but it started to change my road rage, so I knew it was working, FA REAL! I was feeding my body well, treating my body well, and my adrenal glands were thanking me!
Initially, I only added deep breathing in right before bed, but then into my every day as I felt necessary. Currently, I do it most mornings and at night before bed. If you are are struggling with getting to sleep or stressed, it’s worth a try! It’s free! Breathe in. Breathe out. Make the belly expand on an inhale and go down on an exhale, simple right! Start with 10 inhales and exhales. Or you could use an app to help you out. Check out a few apps that I found below for iOS and Android devices.
Next time you’re feeling stressed out during the day, take a moment and just B R E A T H E!
Breathe In (iOS only)
Pulse (iOS only)
BreatheSync (iOS only)
Breathe Pro (iOS only)
BreathingZone (iOS and Android)
Breathe2Relax (Android)
Have you used a great breathing app for stress or sleep? Share it below in the comments!
