Many experts praise breathwork as a powerful treatment for physical, mental, and even emotional health problems. Specifically, more people are becoming familiar with deliberate breathing, also often called conscious breathing, which is really just bringing more awareness to your breath.
However, one particularly beneficial breathing technique is lucid breathing, which involves lengthening your exhales. According to Thomas Bell, Functional Breath Instructor, founder of Lucidmynd, and author of Exhale Twice as Long, lucid breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system.
“I’ve never met anyone who didn’t appreciate the instant calming effects of turning on the parasympathetic nervous system,” Bell explained. “It’s like the buzz we’ve been seeking all our lives but didn’t realize it.”
How Can Lucid Breathing Help With Anxiety?
According to Bell, many of us operate from a place of chronic stress, which manifests in a variety of unhealthy ways, from panic attacks to hostility to physical health problems. However, through lucid breathing, one can easily access calmer alertness.
All you have to do is inhale for four seconds and exhale for eight seconds—repeated eight times. The best part? You can do it anywhere at any time.
“I don’t expect people to close their eyes and sit on a cushion for a half hour. They won’t do it,” Bell said. “Lucid Breathing is done with eyes wide open, as you go about your busy day. In the car, in the shower, walking the dog, at your desk. It’s free. And instantly accessible to everyone.”
Once you can tap into the parasympathetic nervous system, you can start to lower your heart rate, blood pressure, cortisol, and adrenaline, Bell explained. This greatly impacts your ability to focus, make decisions, solve problems, and regulate your emotions.
“Most people take about 20,000 breaths a day,” Bell said. “I am asking you to pay close attention to 64 of them.”
The post Manage Your Stress and Anxiety With Lucid Breathing appeared first on VICE.
