your nose for four seconds. Hold

 

4. Don’t forget to stop and breathe.

Life can become so hectic; we forget to stop usatimes.cc and breathe. Your day-to-day breathing is great, in the sense that it keeps you alive. However, if you want to breathe for your mental and emotional wellbeing, there are a few breathwork exercises you can try.

The best type of breathing for decreasing anxiety is yoga, or “ocean,” breathing. First, you relax your facial features, usanews.cc unclench your jaw, and gently close your eyelids. You can lay down or sit comfortably— the choice is yours. Before you begin, place one hand over your heart and the other on top of your lower abdomen. Remember, your lips stay sea news led throughout your entire breathing exercise.

 

Breathe in through your nose for four seconds. Hold your breath for one second. Exhale slowly, tightening your throat a bit, for five seconds. Hold again. And repeat. With each breath, you want to first fill your belly with oxygen, then fill your chest. Your hands will feel as your stomach inflates and deflates. You may even notice your heart rate starts to lower.

5. Knowing the facts will help you.

You may hear people tell you that they no longer watch the news because it’s too depressing— which is valid and a personal choice. But the CDC claims that knowing the facts will actually help reduce anxiety and stress.

Catching up on what’s going on daily will lessen the amount of time you spend worrying because you’ll already have the answers. Fearing the unknown is said to be the scariest fear of all. Knowing the facts, and making sure they are from reputable websites or TV stations, will lessen your stress somewhat. Don’t forget, just breathe. Community is more important now than ever, and nothing in life is permanent. Together, we will get through this.