When we’re stressed and anxious our breathing tends to become shallow. We may even unconsciously hold our breath. A simple way to restore a sense of calm in our bodies and minds is to deliberately and consciously breathe fully and deeply.
With thousands of students in Ireland beginning their state exams tomorrow morning, I did a short Facebook Live this morning teaching the simple Dirgha belly breath, which helps to bring us back into a calm state.
This can be practiced pretty much anywhere, making it a perfect antidote to stress in the middle of an exam! It can also be practiced in bed at night, to help fall asleep.
Fast forward 1:30 to skip the intro just outlined above and get straight to the instruction. At the end I also suggest some simple mantras to incorporate into the practice.
I hope you and your family find this helpful.