#ReleaseTheWorry #TakeABreather

One of the clearest symptoms of chronic stress is shallow breathing in the chest. This type of breathing constantly stimulates the sympathetic nervous system which tells your body and nervous system to go on adrenaline fed alert. Stress causes shallow breathing, and shallow breathing causes stress. 

Shifting your breathing pattern from chest breathing to belly, or abdominal, breathing is a very effective tool for managing stress and lead to an improvement in mood. Researchers at the Harvard Medical School found that abdominal breathing evokes the relaxation response and is very beneficial in overcoming long term stress.

Chanting is an ancient yogic practice that combines aspects of mindfulness, meditation and sound. Kirtan chanting is a means to connect to ourselves, our heart and the present moment through sound. Described as the sound of yoga, kirtan chanting can improve stress levels, anxiety and depressive symptoms. A 2016 study also found that chanting OM for just 10 minutes improved mood & greater social cohesion.

Manage your stress by setting up a clear plan of where you want to go. This helpful PDF will help you set goals and hold you accountable to them.

Emotional Freedom Tapping or EFT is an alternative treatment for physical and mental distress. Focusing on the meridians, EFT is thought to restore the body’s energy balance and relieve negative symptoms of stress and anxiety. This has been shown in several studies, where

participants reported significantly less distress and anxiety following EFT. For this reason, EFT has been deemed an effective alternative treatment for anxiety and depression, and for individuals suffering from post-traumatic stress.

Join our group on Facebook for Teachers and Trainers! Discussing issues with your peers can help you feel more understood and relaxed. Remember, a problem shared is problem halved.

Journaling is a written record of our thoughts and feelings. It is a process of self-reflection and observation, fostering greater emotional awareness and emotional wellbeing. In a 2006 study, journaling was found to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and hostility, particularly if they were very distressed, to begin with.

Somatic practices emphasise internal physical perception and experience. Somatics focuses on the mind-body connection, by looking at the impact of gentle movement on our emotional state. 

A study published in the Journal of Traumatic Stress found that somatic experiencing had a positive impact on both post-traumatic stress symptoms and depression. This is likely because somatic practices slow the nervous system, stimulating a calm response. Because of this, somatic experiencing has been shown to promote resilience and reduces stress.