Rest from labor

Every so often we need to rest from labor. Summers are good for that. But, we are now at back-to-school days and there will be much less rest for many. School – well mostly college – was much work, little rest, and a huge stressor for me. For you students, or anyone else, who might need some restful de-stressing – maybe not at this moment but soon – try some deep breathing. Here’s some suggestions:

Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, warm your hands by rubbing them together, and then place them on your abdomen. Breathe in through your nose and quietly out through pursed lips (which helps make the exhalation longer than the inhalation). Feel your abdomen expanding with each inhalation and retracting with each exhalation.
Concentrating on deep abdominal breaths help quiet the mind, and that along with slowing the breathing helps reduce cortisol levels. Once you learn this abdominal breathing lying down, do the same kind of slow breathing sitting or standing whenever you need to de-stress. Start with a few minutes and increase your time as you get the hang of it.