Reduce Stress and Improve Health with Mindful Breathing Practices

We wanted to share some information with you about how deep, slow breathing can benefit your health. When you are stressed, your body naturally responds with a "fight or flight" response that helps you deal with dangerous situations. However, this stress response can also cause health problems if it is overused for everyday stresses. It can suppress your immune system and lead to high blood pressure, depression, and anxiety.

Deep, slow breathing techniques can help to interrupt this stress response and activate what's called the "relaxation response". This can help you to reduce anxiety, lower blood pressure, improve sleep, experience less pain, and improve concentration.

Any method that is slow and deep can activate the relaxation response. The 4-7-8 breathing technique is one method of deep breathing that you can use to reap all of these benefits. It is also called the natural tranquilizer for the nervous system and we will cover that technique in our next email. Stay tuned!