This week, Richard Jamieson joins us to discuss how using breathing techniques can help you de-stress and keep calm.

Episode Highlights

[05:14] The Accessibility Of Breathwork

• Practising meditation and mindfulness helps cope with stress. 
• They’re accessible to everyone.  

[08:09] What Does Breathing Do To The Body?

• When we take control of our breath, we can decrease our stress and agitation.

[14:59] Breathing Techniques

• The first step is to bring awareness to the breath. 
• Wondering what to look for when observing your breathing? Tune in to the episode to learn more. 

[17:48] Long-Term View For Breathing

• The ideal breath is around five and a half seconds on the inhale and exhale respectively. 
• Devote some minutes of your day to developing breathing techniques. 

[19:11] Breathing Rate And Heart Rate Variability

• We also need to look at heart rate variability.
• Low heart rate variability means an accumulation of stress. 
• We can increase heart rate variability through slower and coherent breathing. 

[22:23] Finding Balance

• Chronic stress can create a pattern of holding our breath or breathing too quickly.
• Practising proper breathing techniques allows us to find the right carbon dioxide and oxygen levels in our bodies.
• We can balance our body’s needs.

[29:19] Beating Stress

• When you feel like you’re breathing too fast, try using your fingers to count off your inhales and exhales.  
• To calm yourself down, exhale longer than your inhale. 
• To activate yourself, inhale longer than your exhale.

[34:26] Holotropic Breathwork  

• This induces an altered state of consciousness in a dark room with evocative music. 
• For Richard, this kind of breathwork is a psychological detox. 

[43:25] Summary Of Breathing Tips

• Remember ART: awareness, regulation, and transformation. 
• Bring awareness to your breath. 
• Regulate yourself through coherent breathing. 
• Explore different breathing techniques.

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Podcast Links: 

• Richard’s website
• Permission to Thrive for doctors
• Breath by James Nestor
• Breathe by Dr