Simple Breathwork Practices to decrease your mum mental load & improve your emotional health
Have you ever wanted to find out how to practice breathwork - and then how to fit some simple breathwork practices into your busy mum life?
Why has this phenomenon has been sweeping the globe for the past decade or so, helping more and more people understand that breath is a simple, easy way to bring calm back to your body? It’s because of the fantastic stress-reducing
In this post I will share some simple breathwork techniques I use regularly, and in my Recover and Reset classes, to be able to release some of that buildup of stress which we are all holding in our daily life - and why these can help decrease your mental load and improve your emotional health.
Simple Breathwork Practices for busy mums who want to know how to calm your nervous system and reduce emotional load and mental load. #simple #busymum #breathwork
What is breathwork?
Breathwork basically involves using the breath, and simple breathwork practices as a tool to calm both the mind and body - and as an essential part of this, the nervous system.
Both the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) and Sympathetic Nervous System are affected by breathwork; but essentially we are usually trying to move from a state of Sympathetic activation (when we are stressed, fight or flight, and our body is focusing on keeping us ready to move) to activating our Parasympathetic NS, which allows us to calm, and enter that rest-and-digest state, which we are supposed to be operating from most of the time.
Can just anyone do breathwork?
Mostly, but be aware that holding your breath for a long time is not a good idea - but by and large, most people can engage in breathwork on a simple scale. If in doubt, please see your doctor first.
How to practice breathwork - 2 simple 5-minute breathwork exercises for busy mums:
Box breathing. This is the classic one we can do with children as well, when we draw a box in the air, with 4 seconds, or counts, each side. 1,2,3,4 (draw up and inhale) - 1,2,3,4 (draw across top of the ‘box’ and hold breath) - 1,2,3,4 (draw down other side of box and exhale), and 1,2,3,4 (draw bottom of box and wait before inhaling again.) Box breathing is super helpful, and very good for children and ADHD people as it involves movement and thought at the same time, making this activity very engaging.
Sitting and breathing into your diaphragm. Have you heard of ‘belly breaths’? This is what we mean here. Use the seconds count again, with 1,2 counts while you inhale, then 1,2 counts while you exhale. Sit and do this for 5 minutes, or just start with 10 breaths, and simply allow yourself to feel how your body feels as you do this. You should, hopefully, start to feel your pelvis and back relax bit by bit.
How do these breathwork exercises actually help my mental load and overwhelm?
As we breath more slowly and deeply, we are using our diaphragm muscle (under our ribs) to actually push the air in and out of our lungs, essentially. Because we are adding more oxygen into our lungs, and deeper, and because the lungs transmit oxygen to the red blood cells zooming around our body, we are able to bring more oxygen to the places that need it - and this includes the digestive system, brain, muscles, and more!
This can reduce brain fog, and help concentration and focus as we move through the day - even when we are finished our breathwork practice. As a result of moving from a SNS (Sympathetic Nervous System) state, where our bodies are essentially in stress and ‘readiness’ constantly - to a PNS state, we start to allow all the benefits of lower stress, into our bodies and mental health.
So, for instance, we increase heart health, digestive health, overall mental capacity, executive functions like memory, ability to process emotional moments more calmly, and boost immunity, among many other benefits. Find out more about potential benefits on Healthline.com here!
Stress is bad for the body. High emotional load and mum mental load can cause consistent stress, which an be a major drain on your emotional health.
(I realised a few years ago that I have lived most of my life in a stressed state, in the SNS system. This realisation, and the changes I have experienced, and keep working on, is part of the reason I started running de-stress sessions, coaching women on their own emotions and basically learning how to engage that PNS even when we aren’t used to it. It’s worth it!)
How often should I be doing these exercises?
Breathwork is very helpful if practiced every day, and even has been shown to have excellent health benefits as you practice regularly. So, consistency is key - but just do it when you can! Anything is better than nothing - and think how your body will thank you!
Personally, while I flow in and out of being disciplined enough to do this every day (because I am a busy mum too), I pop on some gentle instrumental music and sit on our outside deck for 10 minutes in the morning when I can. If not, I try to make sure I am adding some intentional breathing into my day in some way, and I include intentional muscle relaxation during this process, which is so relaxing both physically and mentally! Adding vocal sounds to the exhale is something I like to practice, as well - the vagus nerve stimulation and emotional processing ties are so strong here, because we are able to really start to let out some of that emotion that is stored in the body, in a wholesome and controlled way. (No smash rooms here!)
So if you want to know how to practice breathwork - especially as a busy mum - give those two exercises a try - and it could be when the kids are watching TV, or when they’re in bed, or even doing the exercises with them. Or, you could join a class nearby (especially if you’re in my area!) which allows you to actually be physically involved in a short breathwork class, so you can feel the benefits for yourself.
Listen To The Mum Wellbeing Podcast Right Here - 15 Minute Episodes To Help You Move Through Your Mum Life!
You might be interested in these other posts:
3 Major Things Daughters Of Narcissistic Mothers Need To Know For Your Own Family Emotional Health
Inner Critical Voice: What It Is & How To Actually Change Your Judgemental Habits
Rediscover your Emotional Health and be the Mama you want to be
With my 1:1 Zoom clients, I:
Ask questions, (lots of them) and every.single.client.so.far has had ‘Aha’ moments through the sounding-board effect of coaching with me,
Go through emotional embodiment practices to help you actually feel and process the emotions that are ‘stuck’ or that you keep trying to escape from (when you are ready, always)
Offer strategies around parenting (I have been coaching parents for over 5 years, and bring my teaching professional expertise to this)
If requested, bring prayer and Christian-based faith principles to the conversation, including helping you rebuild or find that ‘sweet spot’ in your relationship with God.
Don’t ignore your emotional wellbeing, overwhelm and the huge stress that can occur in body and mind for you as you navigate parenting. We can all do with a little help sometimes.
