Growing up in Nigeria, stress management wasn’t really a topic of conversation. There wasn’t much emphasis placed on mental health management, which is quite sad because stress and anxiety are pretty common, and we could have used all the help we could get. But thank you to the internet gods for creating a platform that allowed us to learn and grow, and that’s how we discovered Breathwork.
If you’re wondering what breathwork is, well, it’s simply a form of breathing exercise that helps reduce stress and clear the mind. It may seem simple, but trust us, it works! We’ve learned about yoga and taking time away, but not many people talk about breathwork, which is a shame because it’s one of the best things you can do for yourself.
Breathwork is all about being aware of your breathing, focusing on it and deepening it, and with time, it can become a tool to reduce stress and anxiety, which are all too common in our everyday lives. We remember the first time someone told us to take a deep breath when we were feeling overwhelmed, and we thought it was some kind of a joke because what do you mean by “Breathe!”? If we weren’t breathing we’d be dead. But now, we know better. Whenever we feel anxious, we just take a deep breath, and it somehow calms us down.
We don’t want to go full nerd on you but we think it’s important that we know why breathwork is such a big deal and how it physically works.
Breathwork is a practice that focuses on controlled, intentional breathing techniques to influence the nervous system. The nervous system regulates involuntary functions of the body, divided into the sympathetic (fight or flight) and parasympathetic (rest and digest) branches. It can control these systems, helping individuals manage stress and anxiety. Slow, deep breaths activate the parasympathetic system, promoting relaxation, lowering heart rate, and reducing stress. Quick, shallow breaths trigger the sympathetic system, increasing alertness.
If you’re looking for a way to reduce stress and find mental clarity, give breathwork a try. You don’t have to be a professional to get started. You can go online and do some more research that will guide you through the process, so why not give it a shot?
And we’ll be breathing alongside you.
