Mindful Breathing: Find Peace Amidst Stress With This Simple Mindfulness Practice by Deborah Ann Davis, Parenting Coach

Do you experience any of the common stress indicators, such as migraines, fatigue, back pain, anxiety, brain fog, stomach pain, breakouts or increased heart rate? If you do, it is very likely that your tension permeates the rest of your household, causing additional undue stress on both your children and yourself.

Whichever way you react to the pressures in your life, you can expect your child will do the same because:

• You’re genetically related.

• They live in your household where they copy your habits and coping solutions.

This is the time for objective assessment. Observe, listen and learn to read the signs. Signals abound if you look for them. The question then becomes whether or not you’ve been addressing the pressures in your life adequately.

So, how can parents quickly ease this tension and anxiety? Here's my first starter tactic on how to address and tackle the stress that both you and your children can try: practice mindful breathing.

1. Draw your shoulders back. 
2. Listen as you take a slow deep breath through your nose. 
3. Listen as you slowly exhale through your relaxed mouth. 
4. Repeat for a total of five deep breaths, although in a pinch, three will do.

Mindful breathing offers a multitude of health benefits, such as:

• It moves your lymph through your lymphatic system (which only moves when you do).

• It massages your organs.

• It adds more oxygen to your blood.

• It increases your blood flow to your brain, which – let’s face it – can always use some extra oxygen.

• It leads to yawning, an indication your energy level has changed.

Practicing mindful breathing five or more times daily can do wonders for reducing stress levels. Practice mindful breathing whenever you feel tension, and whenever you think of it. Make this part of your daily routine and watch the stress melt away.   

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