Hi I'm Lynne and welcome to my blog. I am a Brighton hypnotherapist and psychotherapist. I am very hopeful that this blog will enable me to keep a record of the little gems of information that I encounter in a modern way, instead of on thousands of bits of paper in my study. This way I will be able to share them with many more people.
The first thing I would like to share is a technique that I teach all my clients. We call it 7/11 breathing. It is a great tool we all have to calm ourselves down at any time. When our out-breath is longer than our in-breath, this switches on the calm response in the body.
This is why smoking works so well to calm us down, the actual content of the cigarette increases stress, but because the act of smoking is done by breathing in the 7/11 way, it calms you down. You would be much calmer and healthier to go outside and breathe in the 7/11 way without the cigarette.
Try it now:
- Draw in a deep breath down into the bottom of the stomach to a count of 7
- Feel the bottom of the stomach expand as you inhale
- Then release the breath, exhaling to a count of eleven
- Repeat for a few minutes and feel the calming effects
- If you find the count too difficult try a count of 5/9. The important thing is that the out-breath is longer.
- Try it next time you feel nervous, stressed, anxious or angry, it works brilliantly!
Have a lovely week end in the sunshine. Warm regards
Lynne
