Bite Size Breathing - Guided Calm Breathing 3 Minutes

Here's your Bright Sides Breathing for today.

Place a hand on your chest and a hand on your belly if you can.

We'll breathe in and out through the nose.

And on your inhale,

I want your belly to expand.

Feel that lower hand moving.

And on your exhale,

Drawing the belly gently back in.

And on your exhale,

Draw the belly gently back in.

Continue taking a few more of these slow and steady belly breaths.

These breaths have a great relationship with the nervous system.

That exhale telling your nervous system you're safe,

Encouraging relaxation.

We'll enhance that state of relaxation.

By lengthening our exhale now.

So we're coming to a ratio of a three second inhale and a five second exhale.

Expanding the belly over those three seconds for the inhale.

And drawing the belly back in,

Pacing it nicely over the five seconds of the exhale.

Inhaling,

Two,

Three.

Exhaling,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Five.

Inhaling,

Two,

Three.

Exhaling,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Five.

Continuing with these slow and steady breaths.

Each exhale is slowing down your heart rate.

Telling your nervous system you are safe.

We're coming up past two and a half minutes.

You've been slow and steady breathing for that time.

Relaxing your nervous system.

I'll wind up this practice at the three minute mark.

Please feel free to continue for longer if you wish.

But thanks for making that bit of time to breathe deeply and to calm your nervous system.