How to Use Breathing Exercises to Reduce Job-related Stress
Pranayama, or breath work, is one of the eight classic "limbs" or elements of Ashtanga yoga. By controlling the breath, you can slow the heart rate and reduce stress. People often breathe in a shallow manner during the day and especially in work environments where they are pressed for time and working to meet deadlines. Using very simplified versions of classic pranayama is often taught as a way to manage stress effectively. Here are helpful guidelines for alleviating anxiety at work.
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Instructions
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Start by sitting in a chair so that it is easy for you to sit upright without slouching. The room should be quiet with no distractions. If you are easily distracted, set a timer on your clock or phone for 20 minutes. You can bargain with yourself that you will simply try this meditation for that short time frame and simply return to the rest of your day after it is complete.
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Proceed to a breath and body awareness technique that will help slow down the heart rate if practiced consistently for at least 30 days. Close your eyes. Inhale for a count of four and pause briefly for a count of two. Exhale for a count of four, pausing for two counts before inhaling. Repeat 10 cycles of this breathing technique.
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Take several recovery breaths for at least 10 more cycles of breath. Repeat the breathing exercise. Rest for at least five minutes. Slowly open your eyes and slowly move back into the rest of your day.
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Doing this breath and body awareness exercise can help you de-stress by helping you to learn how to pause between the inhales and exhales. Being able to pause during stressful times can help you learn to be responsive rather than reactive during a time of duress. This behavior can help reduce minor depression as it puts you in an active role.
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Add to your meditation tool box with a simple guided visualization. Again, find a quiet room to sit undisturbed for at least 20 minutes. Set a timer if needed. Closing the eyes, practice the breathing exercise above for 10 rounds of counting breaths, followed by 10 cycles of recovery breaths. Breathe normally.
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Picture in your mind’s eye a place in nature that is a quiet respite: a sunset at the beach or mid-day in a private flower garden, surrounded by fragrant lavender and rosemary. As you picture this sanctuary in nature, imagine what the sand feels like under your bare feet or what the lavender would smell like.
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Allow your imagination to fill your senses with details. Remain in this place of peace and stillness for at least 15 minutes. To end the guided visualization, bring your awareness fully back to your current location: feel the wooden chair seat you are sitting on and slowly open your eyes to take in the details of the room. Rest with a soft gaze for at least five minutes before returning to the rest of your day.
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Understand that practicing the breathing exercise and guided visualization helps to activate the alpha relaxation response. This helps the body reduce minor depression by lowering the heart rate and providing a respite from a stressful schedule.
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Tips & Warnings
Practice one of the following three "emergency" versions of yoga pranayama to help you destress while on the job. To dispel stress that feels centered in your chest, inhale through the nose and exhale sharply through the mouth for "lion's breath." Repeat two or three times. This can be done with you hand in front of your mouth to "disguise" what you are doing or do this away from your desk. To help calm you down quickly, inhale through the nose for a count of four, pause for a count and exhale for four counts. Do two or three rounds. Breathe normally. Doing this will help get more oxygen into your lungs when you pause and help your mind slow down--meaning not race so you are responsive, not reactive during a stressful event. This can be done anywhere without anyone noticing if you are subtle. Last, practice alternate nostril breathing by closing off the right nostril as you inhale through the left nostril. Then release the right nostril and exhale through it as you close of the left. Repeat five to seven rounds slowly. Take several recovery breaths. This is an "equalizing" breath designed to help you remain calm when you feel panicked about an impending deadline or a presentation or an interview.
If you have high or low blood pressure, glaucoma, or are pregnant, consult your physician first. If you have any chronic diseases or are taking any prescription medications, work with a certified yoga teacher with this kind of training.
