I can not emphasize enough, the power and importance of breath. The one thing we carry with us at every moment of every day. Free, completely available at any moment. Socially acceptable, subtle and effective.The key – you have to breathe effectively – and many people don’t. Stress, anxiety and hurried lives establish patterns of short quick breathing which triggers the fight or flight response – filling the body with stress hormones (cortisol) which mess with sleep, mood, concentration, memory etc. Effective breath is slower and deeper with a slightly longer exhale than inhale. These breaths trigger a recovery response, promote oxytocin and seratonin (the calm hormones). It also oxygenates all vital organs of the body supporting optimal functioning including clear thinking, digestion, decision making and mood.A lot of people use breath when stressed. That’s fabulous and if it helps keep doing it! What I encourage EVERYONE to do is make short breath practices a part of every day. Train your body to recognize effective breath. Make deep cleansing breaths your new normal. Make calm more familiar so it is easier to maintain – or find again when things get tough!4,7,8 breath is my favortie. It is SO simple and there is an added bonus of attention training (we’ll save that for another day 
).Simply follow the ball as it expands and contracts. Stay focussed on your breath. If you lose focus just come back and keep trying. 1-2 minutes a couple times a day is plenty! Make a game of lengthening your time as you get better at staying focussed. You will be stunned at the impact this has on your coping, your sleep, mood….on SO MANY aspects of your day. IF YOU PRACTICE
KATE Mooney 