Mindful breathing exercise for anxiety

Hope you are all safe and well. I'm hearing from a few of my clients who are struggling with anxiety whilst we are in lockdown. Here is a really simple exercise that you might already know, that you might already be using or that you can pass on to someone who might be needing it right now.

This little trick can help ease anxiety, it can be used absolutely anywhere. It helps to shift your focus to the present moment and take you away from what is making you feel anxious, by interrupting your thought patterns.

Sometimes and especially right now, it's really difficult to stay in the moment and more and more of us are feeling anxiety at different levels in some shape or form.

Here is a simple method for you to put in your 'anxiety/lockdown tool box'.

Being mindful helps to take our brains away from that anxious feeling and ground us in the present.

The 5,4,3,2,1 mindfulness method makes us use our 5 senses Sound, Sight, Taste, Touch and Smell.

1. Take a look around you and identify 5 things that you can see.You can say them in your head or out loud if it helps.

2. Name 4 things that you can feel, such as your top touching your skin, your feet touching the floor.

3. 3 things that you can hear, for example the traffic outside.

4. Name 2 things that you can smell right now, if you can't think of anything, think of 2 smells you like, such as lavender in the garden or bread baking in the oven.

5. Name 1 good thing about yourself (this is where we all struggle, we all find it so hard to say kind, nice or good things about ourselves, Just by doing this

technique you are winning, don't be too hard on yourself. You can do this).

You should feel calmer, if you feel the need to repeat the above again then repeat the above steps if needed.

This simple technique can be used for anything such as cravings, insomnia or just general relaxation.

Last but not least. Be kind to yourself.

K x

#covid2020 #Lockdown2020 #holistictherapynorthampton #mindfulnessnorthampton