By Barbara Grant

In the stressful, fast-paced, rushing-from- here–to-there, lives that most of us lead, it’s important to remember to do one simple thing:

Breathe.

For just one moment, listen to the sound of your breath entering your body. Now, listen to the sound of your breath exiting your body. Feel better?

If there is one thing that almost all adults and even most kids in the modern world share, it’s a sense of feeling continually stressed. The constant demands on our time, financial resources and energy seem to multiply daily. Add to this the often unrelenting demands of caring for an aging parent, a sick child or a spouse in recovery from an accident that it’s no surprise that our stress levels are through the roof.

Stress elicits the “fight or flight” response in our body. It speeds up our heart rate, boosts our adrenalin levels and prepares us to either fight the enemy or to flee from a dangerous situation. This is very useful when we are fighting off sabre-tooth tigers or running from an invading clan. In our modern world, the stress response can be elicited by everyday events such as waiting in line or searching for a parking spot. This response is not only not useful, it’s actually harmful to our health.

Chronic untreated stress can contribute to a host of health problems including:

• High blood pressure and heart disease
• Obesity and diabetes
• Mental health issues such as anxiety and depression
• Fatigue and sleep disorders
• Headache, muscle and chest pain
• Eating disorders and stomach problems
• Substance abuse

Everyone experiences stress differently and the way it impacts your life and health is unique to every individual. If you are concerned about your stress levels or are experiencing some of these symptoms it is important that you speak to your doctor. Help is available.

Many people find mind-body techniques helpful in managing stress.  Techniques such as mindfulness, meditation, guided imagery, prayer and mind-body exercise such as Pilates, yoga and Tai Chi elicit the relaxation response, a profound state of rest that is the opposite of the stress response.

A simple way to develop a healthier way of responding to stress is through the use of mindful breathing techniques. Deep breathing encourages the full exchange of incoming oxygen for outgoing carbon dioxide. This exchange can slow the heart rate and lower or stabilize blood pressure.

The following exercises can be used everyday and in any situation to ease the immediate impact of stress.  Do one or all of them. Do them for two minutes for up to 20 minutes. They are great to try when you are waiting quietly somewhere or just before bed when you are trying to fall asleep. Practiced consistently over time, mindful breathing techniques can have a profound effect on your stress levels and bring much needed mind-body freedom to your life.

1. Belly breathing: Place one hand on your chest and one hand on your belly. Breath in and out through your nose focusing on the exhalation. Breathe in for a count of four and out for a count of six. After several repetitions breathe out for a count of eight. Allow your belly to expand more than your chest when you inhale.
2. Imagine your breath as a colour: Imagine breathing in through the soles of your feet and watch the colour move up your legs and torso and out the top of your head. Next, imagine breathing in through the palms of your hands and watch the colour move up your arms and neck and out the front of your face. Alternate hands and feet on each breath and change colours whenever you want.
3. Imagine you are laying on a warm sandy beach at the waters edge: With each inhalation imagine the water lapping up over your body. First to your ankles, then knees, then hips, tummy, chest, shoulders and finally just to the back of your head. With each exhalation imagine the wave receding and dragging with it bits of the sand under your body

While we are living in a world that is filled with external stressors, there are some simple ways of managing the daily challenges of which we all face. By using any or all of these suggested  techniques, you can successfully live each day happier, healthier and stress-free.

Barbara Grant is the President and founder of Retrofit Pilates, a full-service health and fitness studio in Toronto. For more information, go to www.retrofit.ca and visit Retrofit on Youtube at