BREATHE Wisely! It is a FREE and EASY way to optimize your HEALTH!
CLICK to breathe in wellness with Dr. Stilp
If you’re like most Americans, stress happens. A lot. But chronic stress can lead to a myriad of health problems, such as high blood pressure, fatigue, insomnia, obesity, heart disease, and a weakened immune system. Not to mention, it can negatively impact your productivity and personal relationships.
A Powerful Tool for Health: Your Breath
The good news is that you can manage stress and improve your health with a simple and powerful tool: your breath. There’s been more research out correlating how we breathe and how we think and feel. Breathing exercises, particularly diaphragmatic breathing, can promote relaxation by balancing oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the blood.
In addition, focused breathing activates the longest, and perhaps the most important, nerve of the autonomic nervous system (which controls actions people do without thinking like breathing or digesting): the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve sends information between the brain and body to help control digestion, heart rate, voice, mood, and immune system. When stimulated, the vagus nerve can help boost our mental health as well as help people with epilepsy, diabetes, treatment-resistant depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Box Breathing Like a SEAL
Navy SEALs, known for their incredible mental and physical resilience, practice specific breathing techniques to stay calm and focused under high-pressure situations. One technique, box breathing, can be easily incorporated into your daily routine to help you manage stress and enhance overall well-being.
Box breathing is a technique that combines optimal breathing with parasympathetic activation, concentration, and mindfulness. This exercise involves inhaling, holding the breath, and exhaling for four counts each, visualizing a square as you do so.
To experience the full benefits of box breathing, it’s crucial to practice them daily. It’s recommended to practice box breathing for at least five minutes daily, up to twenty minutes. For optimal results, consider practicing these exercises first thing in the morning. Consistent practice can help rewire your nervous system, promoting slow, deep diaphragmatic breathing patterns and reducing stress levels.
Incorporating a Navy SEAL-inspired breathing technique into your daily routine can significantly improve your health and well-being. By managing stress and promoting relaxation through mindful breathing, you can enhance your mental and emotional awareness, ultimately leading to a happier, healthier life.
Dr. Stilp’s prescription to ROCK your breathing (and Health): 5 box cycles of breathing, 3 times per day (increase number of cycles with increased stress)
Sonja Stilp, M.D. is a mother, athlete and the founder of RISE. Dr. Stilp is board-certified and fellowship trained with advanced training in regenerative medicine and biohacking. She is the medical director at Golden BioHack. If you’d like to hear more about your health and wellness schedule an appointment to meet with Dr. Stilp at RISE in Golden, Colorado. For your convenience and connection, Dr. Stilp also offers virtual consultations.