Just Breathe

We've all heard that we need to relax...this is actually a REALLY important skill for both us to learn and our kids to learn. I've always heard (in about every counseling class or workshop I've been in) that we should help teach kids to take deep breaths, but I never really understood the purpose behind it.

At one of the workshops I attended in February, I learned a couple of reasons that deep breathing helps us relax. I think this is good to know because it convinced me that it wasn't just in my head that it helped (although it kind of is just in my head:)...)

The first reason deep breathing works so well is that when you stretch your diaphram (which happens when you take a deep breath), it sends a message to the Vegas Nerve in your brain that tells your brain that it is time to relax.

The second reason deep breathing works so well is that it increases the amount of carbon dioxide in your body--too much oxygen overstimulates your brain.

If you aren't convinced, just try it--really try it. Just lay on the floor and breathe for 5 minutes--it makes a difference...have your kids/husband, etc. do it with you...make it a daily habit and then in difficult situations your kids will be trained to calm down. (By the way, you can't train a child how to relax when they are upset--you have to train them while they are already calm.)