Last Updated on November 16, 2024 by melissanreynolds
Would you like a quick energy booster for when you’re exhausted but too busy to rest? Perhaps you have a baby who is just not letting you rest, day or night. Or you have caregiving responsibilities, or work, or chronic fatigue – or a mixture of these.
I have something you can do anywhere, anytime. No one need know you’re doing it.
Breathing.
Before you get all, “I breathe all day every day”, on me. Hear me out.
You might be doing it inefficiently. Many of us chest breathe. Especially if we are stressed, overwhelmed or in pain.
Take a moment and focus on your breath. What moves the most with the inhale? Your chest or your abdomen?
If it’s your chest, you need to work on fixing this – focus on getting that breath into the abdomen. This will reduce upper body tension, fatigue and brain fog!
Also, if you are a mouth breather, please seek help to fix this. Mouth breathing has been shown to be detrimental to our health – you might like to read the book Breathe: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor.
Affiliate notice: The link above is an affiliate link, if you make a purchase using my link, I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Why should you care about breathing?
Because breathing well:
- Saves energy*
- Improves energy*
- Reduces pain and tension
- Helps us activate the “rest and digest” mode or the parasympathetic nervous system
- Improves digestion
- Lowers blood pressure
- Reduces heart rate
- Decreases stress
- Improves cognitive function
I wrote about the benefits of breathing in this article.
Did you notice the first two – I put a star by them. SAVES and IMPROVES energy. So we can take the out of our exhaustion and combat it at the same time. I can bet most of the rest of the list appeals too.
But back to what you can do with your breath amidst your super busy schedule.
The quick energy booster practice:
Inhale for a count of four, pause for a count of two, exhale for a count of six.
Go ahead and try that now for a few cycles.
How did that make you feel?
If the count puts you off, simply make your exhale slightly longer than your inhale.
Did it make you feel a bit more relaxed?
You were able to do that while reading this post! In under a minute.
You can use your quick energy booster:
- At your desk
- In bed
- While nursing the baby
- At the park with kids
- In the car
- While hanging washing on the line or doing the dishes
- As you sit in the sun with a cuppa
- On a plane
You get the gist.
Grab the free download, Your Simplest Mindfulness Practice here.
If you want to take it even further, here’s an extended option:
Focus inward (you don’t need to close your eyes). Notice how your breath is right now. Inhale for a count of four, pause for a count of two, exhale for a count of six.
Do this for a few cycles, in your own time.
Check in with how you’re feeling, physically and mentally. If you need it, do another few rounds.
If you would like to take it further, one of my four free classes in the 10 Minute Challenge is a 10 minute breathing practice. Once you’ve practiced a few times, you’ll be able to guide yourself anywhere, anytime and even build up the time you do it for.
Action Points
- Practice this energy booster multiple times each day (write it in your diary if you must)
- The more you practice, the more it helps (seriously)
- Get help if you are chest breathing or mouth breathing or feel like you need some support with optimal breathing
Tell us, have you tried this breathing practice?
Would you like even more support with your energy, check out these posts
25 Awesome Easy Self-Care Tips for You
Yoga Nidra: How it can help you manage all the things
I’m very curious about the book “Breath” after reading this. Thank you for the recommendation! I added it to my list of holds at the library.