What is square breathing? It is breathwork that works within a framework and can be used similar to diaphragmatic breathing which I often recommend with my clients. I generally recommend a form of breathwork for clients with digestive issues, anxiety, and stress. In fact, we can all benefit from it! It can increase feelings of calm by minimising stress, it achieves this through moving a shift from the sympathetic nervous system ("fight or flight") to the parasympathetic nervous system ("rest & digest"). It is referred to as box breathing, square breathing, 4x4 and essentially is about breathing in counts of four as illustrated below. How to start square breathing It is a good idea to sit in a chair, the earth or the ...
11 Ways to Decrease Stress & Support Immune Health
I’ve mentioned a few times on posts and you have probably heard it thrown around a bit lately, the association of stress and the impact on the immune system and why in the current environment these are both so important. How does stress impact the immune system? When demands on the body exceed the ability of our body to cope and deal with the current demands is when we experience stress. Stress is not always bad for the body to experience, acute stress, such as exercise is positive for our body. This is the type of stress that we might experience over an hour training session or at a time the body senses and emergency, then the body has time to relax, be calm and reset. It is our “fight or flight” mode, our in-built survival ...
