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.