We’re wrapping up National Stress Relief Month, which gives us an opportunity to pause and reflect on how stress plays a role in daily life. If you were to rate the amount of stress you’ve experienced in the past month on a scale of 1-10, what would it be? And using the same scale, how would you rate where you want to be?
Whether there’s a small or large gap between those numbers or none at all, it’s worth (a) giving yourself some gratitude for acknowledging your relationship to stress at this point in time and (b) acknowledging that these numbers and the gap between them will inevitably change over time. Regardless of where you are or where you want to be, here’s a tool that can serve as a quick win for stress relief:
Ujjayi (oo-JAH-yee) Breathing Technique
Ujjayi translates to “victorious breath” and is often referred to as oceanic breath based on the way it sounds. The rhythmic nature of this breathing technique stimulates the vagus nerve and calms the nervous system, bringing a near instant feeling of calm. You can feel the effects of ujjayi breathing even after a few minutes, especially if consistently practiced.
How to do it:
Sit or stand comfortably with relaxed shoulders and tall spine.
Keeping your mouth closed, imagine trying to fog a mirror as you exhale.
Now keep that same restriction in your throat as you inhale.
Continue to inhale and exhale with that slight constriction in the throat for 10-15 breaths. If you sound like Darth Vader, you’re doing it right.
Release the constriction and return to breathing normally.
Notice how your body feels and the quality of your thoughts. You may notice a softening in both the body and/or mind.
If you’d like to factor this breathing practice into your routine to build some consistency, consider these variables:
Time: determine how much time you’d like to dedicate to this practice, how often you’d like to practice and when in your day or week it makes sense to add it. Consider which habits you already have that you could add this practice onto, like after brushing your teeth or walking the dog.
Location: plan where you’d like to be physically when you practice.
State your goal or intention: Writing down what you plan to do and adding it somewhere you see it often will help make it real. An example goal using the variables above could be: “On Tuesday and Thursday mornings in May, I’ll sit on my bed and practice ujjayi breathing for 1-3 minutes after I brush my teeth.”
Accountability: Until it becomes more routine, plan to use reminders that you know are effective for you. You could add a sticky note somewhere you look often, add it to a planner or calendar you frequently use or add reminders on your phone.
Would love to know how this goes for you if you give it a try! Feel free to reach out with questions or comments otherwise.