How to use your body to soothe your mind.

Calm Practice

🧘‍♀️🫁Weighted Belly Breathing🫁🧘‍♀️

This deep breathing technique can calm us by slowing our breath and providing proprioceptive input. 

Here’s how!

1. Find an object to place on your belly such as, a wheat bag, a hot-water bottle, a heavy (weighted) blanket, or a book.
2. Life on a comfy rug or mat on your back (supine position) and place your object on your belly.
3. Begin to deepened your breath, directing your inhale down into your diaphragm. Pretend you have a balloon in your belly that inflates as you inhale, raising the object, and deflates as your exhale, lowering the object. *This practice is an effective way to train your diaphragm muscle for full, functional breathing.
4. Continue belly-breathing for 3 – 5 minutes. Notice any changes to your body as your object rises and falls with your breath.

 

 

 

 

 

Reference

Ballagh, R. (2024). Weighted Belly Breathing. 101 Ways to Find Calm: How to Use Your Body to Soothe Your Mind. P. 44-45.