R is to Reset
Words by Deb Dana, from her book Anchored.
The brain and the body had often been treated as two different enteties in the West. It's inspiring to read the ever increasing evidence that our body mind and breath influence each other.
Anchored is about Polyvagul theory and exercises to acces the vagus nerve.
The vagus nerve can move us from a state of anxiety and depression to a more balanced place.
The breath can really help us tone the vagus nerve however sometimes it's difficult to become aware of or access our breath. Personally I find movement really helpful in becoming better acquainted with the breath, when we tune our awarness inwards we subconsciously slow the breath down and our exhale may become longer.
Experiement by lifting your arms up, keep them up for a few seconds then let them come down slowly. Observe what you do with your breath.
You may have subconsciously held your breath when you lifted your arms up and taken a long exhale when you let them down? How does the body feel afterwards?
When we don't use our breath to our full potential, muscles can tighten, connective tissue starts getting sticky and our posture can change, influencing our breath and mood even more. Yes it can become a habitual circle. Think about when you're anxious and your chest tightens and shoulders raise, your breath shortens and only comes into the upper body. If this happens often enough your chest muscles will become tighter, your posture will change and the 'norm' of your breath will become shorter and shallower increasing feelings of anxiety and then the circle goes on... until we stop and listen to our bodies and take the time to unwind.
Yoga is a great place to start, one to one yoga therapy sessions can help you become more aware of habitual holding/ breathing patterns. If you would like to know more feel free to get in touch 😊
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