Breathing through Burnout

 

I think there’s a big component of both stress, burnout, and anxiety that can be fixed with breathing. There are two different breathing techniques I employ. I probably do this three to five times a day depending on how stressful the day gets, but I’ll just stop what I’m doing, and just take slow 10 deep breaths in and out eyes open

Breathing through burnout in the daytime:

You don’t have to be in a dark room with your legs crossed sitting in the lotus position.  Just 10 deep breaths in and out, in and out. In through your nose. 1…2…3…4…. Hold it. 1…2…3…4 out… Hold it. If you repeat the cycle. Five to 10 times, seemingly whatever was making use of anxiety or stress or burned out will suddenly get quite a bit better. 

 

Breathing through burnout at night:

 

I find a very small amount of meditation before sleep puts me right to sleep. A little game I play with myself is counting the number of breaths before I fall asleep. Usually, I don’t make it to ten. Sometimes it is as few as four. Yes, I can drop off like a rock. If I happen to wake up and can’t get back to sleep, a few meditating breaths get me back to sleep.

 

At night, and other times when you have the opportunity to be someplace quiet, I love to close my eyes and do slow deep breaths all the way in. In slow, deep breath, all the way out. And in that way. That’s a great way for me to help get my brain to calm down and get myself into a place where I can fall asleep. 

Meditation:

  The scientific benefits of meditation are well known. I use two types of meditative breathing regularly.

 

Part A:

You can do this anywhere at any time. Every day, take ten slow, deep, full breaths in and out, eyes open or closed. Try it driving (preferably driving with eyes open) or whenever two or three times per day.

 Part B:

 For five to twenty minutes per day, simply sit in a comfortable quiet position, and focus only on your breathing. In and out. That’s it. If you get distracted, like the little puppy that I am inside, simply refocus on your breathing. You may want to visualize something while meditating, such as light entering your limbs and exiting the top of your head. You may want to chant a mantra in tune with your breathing, such as “Love, Abundance, Gratitude.”

Affirmations:

 What has been the most uplifting has been using this time to give myself a period while meditating on unabashed good feelings about myself. I consciously stop all the self-doubt, self-flagellation, and worry and allow myself to feel an upwelling of positive feelings about who I am, my abilities, my contributions, and my life. Try something and see what works for you. I have experienced significant and spontaneous happiness while doing this. That is a new experience for me. Amazing creativity and clarity also follow these meditation sessions for me.

 

~Jeff Moody, MD