Slow the Breath 

 

• Slowing the breath is one of the easiest things you can do to help the nervous system shift from fight-flight-freeze-fidget-fret to relax–rest–repair–replenish.
   

Exercise

• Notice what your breathing is like (there’s nothing wrong with how you’re breathing, as long as you are breathing). We just do this because it's fun to have a reference point for later. 

• Count as you inhale and as you exhale. You will be adding a number to each exhalation, up until 10:

  • As you inhale, count to 3,

  • as you exhale count to 4.

  • As you inhale count to 4.

  • As you exhale count to 5.

  • As you inhale count to 5.

  • As you exhale count to 6.

  • As you inhale, count to 6, 

  • as you exhale count to 7. 

  • As you inhale count to 7. 

  • As you exhale count to 8. 

  • As you inhale count to 8. ​

  • As you exhale count to 9.

  • As you inhale count to 9. 

  • As you exhale count to 10.

• At 10, spend a couple more breaths breathing, counting to ten on both the inhalations and the exhalations.

• Let yourself experience slow breathing for a few moments.