Are you a ‘mouth’ breather? Have you ever noticed yourself sighing or yawning a lot throughout the day? It doesn’t always mean you are tired, it is also a sign that your breathing is very shallow. We often do this without even realising why, but it has to do with our sympathetic nervous system. When we are stressed or highly anxious, we may even hold our breath. This means we are not getting sufficient oxygen to all the cells in our body. Remember our mitochondria are dependent upon oxygen to manufacture ATP/energy. Breathing is automatic, yet it is something you can intentionally change the depth and frequency of. Your breath has the ability to slow down your heart rate, reducing your blood pressure and stress levels.

Breathing exercise:

This will activate the vagus nerve and parasympathetic nervous system which puts us into the rest and digest state.

Breathe in deeply through your nose for the count of 4

Hold for the count of 4

Breathe out for the count of 8

Another wonderful breath exercise is called Box breathing

Inhale for the count of 4

Hold for the count of 4

Exhale for the count of 4

Hold for the count of 4

Repeat 4 times

Exercise can be like medicine for the body. Exercise can decrease pain, relieve stress and anxiety, improve our mood, get our circulation going and oxygenate our brain for improved concentration.

It can also do more harm than good if your Adrenals are exhausted and you are just pushing yourself through a hard session at the gym for example. Moving our bodies is vitally important as long as we are adding to our energy stores and not depleting them.

If you are currently sitting at the high end of the chronic fatigue scale, it is wise to start any new exercise slowly and build up the intensity and duration as your body’s energy dictates. Movement such as taking the dog for a walk around the block after work or some morning yoga to stretch out those tight muscles are a fantastic start.

If you are feeling highly anxious or stressed (and have the energy), doing a high intensity aerobic exercise such as boxing or dancing can actually be a great stress reliever, as it helps to burn off that excess cortisol coursing through your body, plus it physically tires you out and helps you sleep!

Yoga poses:

Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)

The Cobra Pose is a simple but energising back stretching asana which looks like a raised cobra’s head. It helps to loosen a stiff lower back and stretch the muscles in the chest, shoulders and abdomen to keep them healthy and flexible. This pose has the ability to elevate your mood as well as strengthen the spinal column and avoid hunching also. 

Lie down onto your stomach with your chin resting on the floor and your legs together. Bend your elbows and place your hands flat on the floor under your shoulders. Squeeze your thighs and buttock muscles together whilst keeping your elbows close to your sides, push up from your hands and use your arms to lift yourself up. Hips and pelvis remain touching the floor – you are lifting from the waist. Make sure you are not hunching, keep your shoulders down, really stretch and open up your chest area. Hold this pose for a few breaths (only hold the asana for as long as you feel comfortable) before lowering yourself slowly back to the starting position. You can finish this pose by turning the head to one side and resting for a few moments before moving onto another asana. Never rush yourself getting up off the floor, or moving from a seated to a standing position so as to avoid a sudden change in blood pressure and any sensations of unsteadiness. Best practised first thing in the morning on an empty stomach or in the evening if experiencing constipation (as this asana helps with peristalsis also). The pose only needs to be held for a few seconds but can be held longer if you feel comfortable doing so.

This pose is not recommended during pregnancy, recent abdominal surgery or injury to the back, arms or shoulders.

Child Pose (Balasana)

The Child Pose resembles the position of a baby inside the mother’s womb and the benefits of this asana are that it helps to release tension which tends to build up in our bodies, particularly in our shoulders, chest and back. It also promotes good circulation and blood flow to the upper part of the body, particularly the head (which helps with alertness and concentration). It aids with steady, deep breathing and is a very calming pose when feeling stressed or anxious.

From a seated position, get down onto all fours with the knees spread at least shoulder width (or wider) apart, then whilst breathing gently and deeply, slowly lower your hips towards your heels and your forehead towards the floor. Your arms can either be placed overhead as seen in the image, or can be alongside your body with the palms facing upwards. To release the pose, place your palms under your shoulders and as you inhale, push yourself back up to a seated position. It is ideal to practise this in the early morning on an empty stomach, or in the evening 4-6 hours after your meal. You just need to hold the position for 1-3 minutes or as long as comfortable. 

Not recommended if you have had a recent or chronic knee injury.

Corpse Pose (Shavasana)

The Corpse Pose is a relaxing Asana whilst also being rejuvenating for the mind, body and spirit - perfect for anyone suffering from stress, anxiety and tension. However it is not as easy as it appears! Especially if you are very tense, it can be hard to wind down, calm the ‘monkey’ mind and body down sufficiently in order to relax completely and not fidget whilst in this pose. A beneficial asana for insomnia – a common chronic problem in people as we age. Due to lack of physical activity, some bodies don’t tire enough to get a good quality night’s sleep, therefore a quick session of Yoga before bed may help. It may also help improve overall physical, mental and emotional health - you are able to cope better with the general stresses of life, with better memory and concentration.

It is important you are warm and comfortable in this pose, so you may like to use a small pillow to support your head and neck and wrap yourself in a blanket. I like to play relaxation music softly in the background when doing yoga, but this pose works particularly well with sounds such as the tide rolling in and out – you can match your breath to the same tempo as the waves of the ocean…

Lie down on your back, with your arms about 45 degrees from the side of your body. Close your eyes, scan your body from head to foot for any tension or tightness in your muscles and consciously let them go. Relax…

Breathe slowly and deeply in through your nose and out through your mouth. Just let your whole body relax, become heavy, as if it is sinking into the floor. Simply notice your body rising and falling with each breath that you take. Let any thoughts just drift in and out of your mind like a passing cloud and allow each breath to move your mind and body into an ever deeper state of relaxation. This asana should always be the final pose to complete your yoga session and ideally you should aim for 10-15 minutes of relaxation. To finish your final asana, awaken slowly by wiggling your fingers and toes, or stretch your whole body. Bend your knees and roll onto your side. Remain for a few breaths before very slowly coming back up to a sitting position.

Not recommended for the third trimester of pregnancy

(with thanks to Yoga Basics for the images)