Nerves nowadays are normal. Times are uncertain, and it’s anxiety-inducing adjusting to working from home or prolonging visits to loved ones. But, as an anxiety sufferer myself for pretty much my whole life, I’ve recently found that meditation breathing techniques helped manage my anxiety, which can help yours too.
The following meditation strategies can quickly turn into a hobby or routine, with lasting mental health benefits. It strengthens the emotional resilience necessary to cope with stressful situations. Practicing meditation daily is proven to calm the nervous system and release endorphins, making you happier, resulting in a state of joy and contentment.
Don’t underestimate the power of meditation.
At first, I downplayed it because I thought breathing and sitting still was a waste of time. However, it turns out psychotherapists have recommended mindfulness as a strategy. Especially in the morning, you can start the day in a calmer state of mind before looking at the to-do list. I learned there are various kinds of breathing techniques, but three are good for reducing anxiety.
Breathing Techniques for Anxiety
Gabrielle Bernstein, New York Times’s best-selling author, suggests inhaling deeply for four seconds, holding for four seconds, and exhaling through the nose for four seconds. Repeat three times.
Another breathing pattern developed by Dr. Andrew Weil is based on an ancient yogi meditation technique called pranayama. Meditation practitioners use this technique to control their breathing. For example, inhale for four seconds, hold for seven seconds, and exhale through the nose for eight seconds. Longer exhalation is to breathe out all the air out of the lungs.
An effective breathing technique to calm chest pain is the ten-one-ten breath. Inhale slowly for ten, hold for one, and exhale for ten. Immediately this helps relieve chest pain due to anxiety.
How to Meditate
Sit in a cross-legged position, and close your eyes. Rest your hands comfortably in your lap or on your legs with palms facing up. Breathe in and out slowly and focus on the rise and fall of your chest.
You can listen to guided meditations on YouTube, Spotify, or just relaxing nature sounds for at least ten minutes. Controlled breathing is proven to signal the brain to calm down the mind and body.
A new anxiety brainwave technology can reduce anxiety in just 7 minutes. Listening to this technology is proven to alter brainwaves to lower the part in your brain responsible for stress and anxiety (beta) and increase alpha for relaxation and calm. InnaPeace Brainwave Guidance Program is a simple yet effective meditation you can do every morning to start your day relaxed before a busy day at work.
Being brought into the present moment will allow your mind to wander. However, this is entirely normal. You can picture your thoughts like clouds passing by. Meditation teaches you to be in the present moment regardless of what comes up.
Of course, this can be challenging as no one likes to sit with their thoughts out of boredom or stress. That’s why people want to be on their phones for entertainment, as do I.
However, due to increased phone scrolling and Face-Time sessions, meditation is an anxiety reliever and an emotionally intelligent activity.
Teach yourself to observe your thoughts without judgment and focus on your breath.
That way, you’ll learn not to identify with the thought, so it doesn’t have power over how you feel. After that, you can do anything you want on your phone and feel calmer.
Doctors Opinion on Meditation
Dr. Daniel Goleman, co-author of Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body, argues meditation results in permanent trait changes through practice.
As a result, you’ll be able to regulate your emotions and survive an “amygdala highjack.” To him, this means an emotional response that is immediate and overwhelming to the brain by triggering an emotional threat.
Meditating daily increases the emotional resilience you need to cope with a heightened nervous system or stressful situations, especially in uncertain times like this pandemic.
Mantra Meditation
A ‘Mantra’ is just another word for positive affirmations to repeat during meditation. This type of meditation is a great way to challenge any thoughts by shifting your focus on the empowering ones while combining the breath.
Mantras are beneficial before or after a panic attack. Panic attacks can be debilitating and can feel like you’re “dying,” as some people describe it. A mantra can slow down the thoughts and breath to combat pre or post-anxiety attacks. Such as,
“This too shall pass.”
The repetition of the mantra combined with deep breathing helps diminish ruminating thoughts, thus helping calm the mind and body quickly.
You won’t need to depend on anyone else by self-soothing with an affirmation. Instead, you’re assuring yourself you’ll be okay.
Practicing meditation daily will increase the quality of life that every human deserves. Especially right now.
