Hi there everyone, and huge thanks to those folk who replied with so much support and friendship.
Here I am again.... 
After a long sleep, with a few interruptions because of Mr OF's new medication!!! I started the day with my lovely self body-scan, which I posted about yesterday... and rose to meet the day gently and calmly.
Some very simple Yoga stretches.... helped loosen the body... somehow, those simple exercises serve to refresh and invigorate. Mine today...
The Best way to start your day...10 Minute Morning Yoga... this one is from Yoga with Adriene.
An hour or so spent with Mr OF sorting out his new medication and his current medication.... into the weekly boxes, did little to maintain the calmness but... I managed and handled things well.
How?
Well, by using some of the very tactics that we, or I, use in our running. Much has been written about breathing on the Running forums... and much has been discussed, the positives and negatives...nose breathing and mouth breathing. Generally the outcome is agreed ...breathe in the way that feels most natural for you and is giving you the comfort and confidence to run easily. But that is exercise related.
For my purposes here...I am trying to use my knowledge to find the best way to control the anxiety, whilst making sure that I am breathing correctly in any gentle exercises I am doing. My biggest problem when I am anxious is... I over breathe. ( Or hold my breath...duh) !
For anxiety,,,, there are so many techniques to help us breathe better... and for exercise...the rule for many is...inhale on relaxation and exhale during exertion.
So.. today.... some breathing work! The key word here, being...Gently.
Breathing tells our body things... if we shallow breathe, or breathe rapidly, that is a signal to our body that things are amiss. Yes, the Fight or flight response from yesterday's post.
But... if we are able to simply slow down our breathing and breathe a little more deeply, even for a short time... then we can reduce that stress response. Practised even for a short time each day can be really, really useful.
So, I am practising this, every time I feel that over-breathing is happening. For me, tapping my foot can help... the 1,2,3,4, I use in my running... it is familiar and friendly and seems to be beginning to work.
Now... nose or mouth... well.... here we go again...
Nose breathing certainly makes more sense for our body...as those in the know will tell us, we just use those bits that were intended to help us breathe, and not our neck, or shoulders, which were never intended to help us breathe and can get very sore... I can honestly vouch for that! It is strongly suggested too that nose breathing is really effective in combatting stress.... so...some simple relaxation breathing exercises.
The ones that spring to mind and one technique in particular that I use when I really feel I am about to lose control, is the Yoga alternate breathing and many many of you will know that one! The Nadi Shodhan!
You simply breathe out and then in through one nostril and then out and then in through the other! Practised gently and often can reduce the stress level wonderfully.
For me, more than meditative strategies right now... easy breathing is the way to go.
There are so many techniques that you have to choose the one that works best for you...
I use the 3...4...5 one... In for 3 seconds, hold for 4 and exhale for 5 seconds... gentle easy and relaxed.
My favourite at bedtime if I cannot settle and am simply focusing too much on my breathing... BOX breathing. It lowers my stress level, it calms me enormously and... it does focus the mind wonderfully!
You simply, and I picture the four sides of a box when I do it, Breathe in for four, hold for four, out for four and hold for four seconds.
If you are reading this.... these are my techniques which I have used in the past, they work for me... they are simply techniques I use, maybe not the best or the most useful, so for each of us, we have to find the techniques that are right for us.
I have been practicing my breathing throughout the day, trying not to, as we advise on our running forums, to overthink it at all. I have had a much more relaxed and calm day. I even did a spot of my water-colour painting too!
So a few links here... that I shall be using and that you may find helpful...and remember, that any exercise work we do here, will serve to make us fitter and stronger for whatever exercises we may be doing, walking running, cycling...etc. etc. Mind and body !
YWA
youtube.com/watch?v=klmBssE...
NHS ...
nhs.uk/mental-health/self-h...
Okay.... that is me, posting for today.... keeping myself on track, hoping it may be of use or helpful to some folk too.
I intend to sleep well and I hope those of you, who have indicated that you are struggling a little with a few things right now will have a restful night also...
See you tomorrow .
Oldfloss xxx
