Hi friend,
Thank you for opening my letter.
It means a lot to me.
This week, I'm mesmerized by a conversation that I listened to last week while running.
Scott Barry Kaufman talked to Emily Seppälä on the Psychology Podcast where they discussed how breathing can regulate your nervous system. According to Seppälä, certain breathing techniques can be at least as effective as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to treat PTSD.
In her own words:
Breathing is one of the most effective and quickest ways to really change the response of your nervous system. We are seeing this result in more and more studies. It’s a powerful tool we all have to regulate emotion, deal with stress, even with severe trauma. Breathing can help you show up as the best version of yourself.
From my own practice and from the clients I work with, I know that breathing techniques can really help us regulate our nervous systems.
However, I was unaware of the studies comparing breathing to CBT.
Because of Seppälä, I dove deeper into the research and discovered the relationship between breathing and emotions.
When you are angry or stressed, your breathing is shallow and fast. When you are anxious, your breathing may be inconsistent.
Emotions and your breathing are interconnected and intertwined.
So a way to learn to regulate your emotions, that is, change your emotions, is to learn how to breathe.
The easiest way to activate your parasympathetic nervous system (the part of your nervous system that is active when you're relaxed, open, curious, and social) is to extend your exhale. Let it be longer than your inhale.
But here's the most powerful practice I know so far: humming.
1: Breathe in deeply through your nose. Breathe from your belly.
2: As you breathe out through your nose, make a humming sound so that it vibrates inside your head.
This type of breathing stimulates the vagus nerve, which is the longest nerve in your body and responsible for regulating your nervous system. It stretches from your brain down to your belly. As you stimulate it, it activates a deep rest.
Do this for 10 minutes per day. That's the practice that Seppälä recommends for soldiers who are suffering from PTSD. But it's an amazing practice you can engage in to help you regulate your nervous system and make it more balanced.
I'm amazed that this practice has been part of Buddhist meditation for thousands of years. It's also part of Eastern Christian ritual practice. We've only recently touched on the surface of these types of practices in the West.
Try it for ten minutes.
If it resonates with you, let me know. If it resonates with you, share it with your friends and family.
If it resonates with you and you want more of this, then sign up for the upcoming REWIRE SUMMIT at www.rewiresummit.ca where we'll dive deeper into powerful practices that may very well change your life.
Be well!
