How to use your amazing body to calm anxiety or anger

"Just take a deep breath, and calm down."

How many times have you heard that? Are you sick of it? Does taking a deep breath even work to calm you down? Is it just some sort of stall tactic?

Taking deep belly breaths (breathing in slowly, and deeply, allowing your belly to expand--holding for a few seconds--then breathing slowly out) is proven to calm people down when they are angry, worried, or panicked.  This is a skill that I have taught my clients, but I have only recently learned the physiological mechanism behind it.  And this is where the Vagus Nerve comes in.

It is pronouced like Vegas, but is completely different.

When your heart rate rises above 100 beats per minute, it is extremely difficult for you to process information.  Think about if you are angry or scared.  Does your heart rate speed up?  What do you think that says about your ability to process information in a clear, rational way if your heart rate is most likely over 100 beats per minute?  It's pretty darn tough.

The Vagus Nerve is a nerve that runs from the base of your skull down through your abdomen.  It is responsible for many cool things in your body, two of which are important to our ability to calm and sooth ourselves.

When the Vagus Nerve is stimulated:

1)  It slows down your heart rate

2)  It helps to control your breathing

If you can slow down your heart rate, you are then able to process information in a much more clear, and rational way--which is super helpful if you are angry, worried, or panicked!

So, how to you stimulate the Vagus Nerve????

Deep. Belly. Breaths.

Really.

Taking deep breaths stimulates the Vagus Nerve prompting our bodies to slow our heart rate allowing us to process thoughts, feelings, and emotions in a much calmer way.

However, when you are in the middle of feeling super anxious, or are angry, it is hard to remember to use skills that can help.  The best thing you can do is to practice this type of breathing when you are already calm.

To practice you can:

1)  Take time each day to practice belly breaths (breathe in slowly, and deeply, allowing your belly to expand--holding for a few seconds--then breathe slowly out).  Repeat 5-10 times and practice on a daily basis.

2)  Use the app Stop, Breathe & Think daily described in this post.  There are several meditations available for free through this app that help you to practice and focus on your breathing.

3)  If you have children that could use some help in soothing themselves when they are angry or upset, share this information with them!  They love to learn about how their bodies work, and it can help them to learn why taking deep belly breaths is important. Also, you can help kids to practice their breathing and other helpful calming techniques using these yoga cards.  Reviewing these skills in a fun way on a daily basis is very helpful.

Many of my clients (both children and adults) have utilized these practice suggestions and have reported that it has been helpful when they are angry or are having anxious thoughts.  I would encourage you to tune in to this gift that your body offers, giving you a helpful tool to combat runaway thoughts and the feeling of being out of control.

Feeling Down, Worried, or Anxious? Here are some tools that can help:

Have you been feeling down or anxious, but don't feel ready to seek professional help? Are you already seeking help and support from a licensed therapist, but would like some additional resources that could help improve your mood and lessen anxiety? Below are several steps you can take in addressing mild to moderate depression or anxiety.

1)  Change your thoughts

Every single person has thoughts that automatically come into our mind and pass through, influencing our mood.  We are often not even aware of these thoughts, yet they have power over how we feel. Dr. David Burns wrote an amazing book called  The Feeling Good Handbook. I often recommend this book to my clients as a complement to therapy. However, this is also a great starting point when you are feeling down or worried, and aren't quite ready so seek out a therapist. Look at this list of cognitive distortions (or messed up thoughts). Do you identify with any of them? Many of our negative automatic thoughts are actually distorted, and can be challenged and changed with the use of a thought record. A Cognitive-Behavior Therapist can help you to identify these thoughts, and walk you through using a thought record and other tools allowing you to change your mood through changing your thoughts.

2) Stop, Breathe, and Think

Most of us have our smart phones with us 24 hours a day. While smart phones can be a distraction, there are also tools available that can help us take a short break and refocus. My favorite new app is called Stop, Breathe & Think.  This app is free and is available in Android, Apple, and Web formats.  The app is visually appealing and is simple to use. It allows you to "check in", assessing your current emotions, and how you are feeling physically. It then provides you with several options of a short breathing exercise or meditation. The meditation is down-to-earth, providing calm centering in the midst of a chaotic world. Meditation can assist with both improving your mood and lessening anxiety or worry. Most will notice the calming benefits with just one use, but the benefits multiply as you integrate meditation into your daily life. In addition to the free meditations, the app offers other meditation packages for a small fee benefiting the organization Tools for Peace.

3) Exercise

Gah. When you feel down, exercise is often the last thing you want to do. However, exercise has many mental health benefits. It can burn off excess anxious energy. It releases endorphins, our natural "feel good" hormones! Exercise can also help you to fall asleep faster, and sleep more heavily.

If you are feeling down, and would rather sit on the couch or curl up in bed, the chances of your mood improving are slim to none. However, once you force yourself to get moving, your chances of an improved mood are much greater. Consistent exercise will also aid with improving your mood over time.

When professional help is a necessity:

Seeking the help of a licensed therapist can be helpful in addition to the ideas mentioned above when you are experiencing mild to moderate depression or anxiety. However, you need to seek out a professional licensed therapist if you:

1) Are having suicidal thoughts

2) Are struggling to maintain your daily home, work, or school responsibilities

3) Are crying on a daily basis

4)  Worry or anxiety is keeping you from participating or enjoying activities

If you are having suicidal thoughts, you should seek help as soon as possible. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number is 1-800-273-8255 and is available 24/7