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Our morning routine can set the tone for the rest of our day. But making time for healthy habits is easier said than done — especially for those of us who aren't morning people.
As someone who journals and meditates every morning, I admit that when I am in a rush, that is the first thing to go. But it's on those mornings when you oversleep, are in a rush or have a hectic or stressful day ahead of you that taking a moment to breathe and reset is even more important.
The good news is it only needs to take one minute — and you can do it before you even get out of bed.
1 breathing exercise to do every morning to combat stress
I can feel a shift in my overall mindset and stress levels from just a few centering breaths! That’s why I implemented this one non-negotiable breathing exercise in my morning routine and I do it before I even get out of bed. Especially with the holidays upon us and our calendars filling up with events, banking on my morning breathing technique has been a game changer for starting my day off on the right foot!
Here’s how to do it:
- Lie in bed with your knees bent or legs straight, whichever is more comfortable. Place your hands on your belly. Breathe in through your nose and fill your belly up into your hands. Exhale through your nose, and feel your belly release and deflate. Repeat this for a total of 5 deep breaths.
- Next, move your hands so that they’re on your ribcage. Your right hand and fingers are spread out to touch as many of your ribs on your right side as possible, and your left hand does the same on the left side. Inhale and feel your lungs expanding your ribcage into your hands, and then exhale and feel your lungs deflating. Repeat this for a total of 5 deep breaths.
The first set of breaths, where you’re focusing on your stomach rising up and down, is a deep breathwork practice that helps elicit the relaxation response. It trains your body and mind to feel like you are safe, you’re calm and you can move slowly and with intention.
The second set of breaths, where you focus on expanding your ribcage, is more expansive and like you’re inviting fresh energy and maybe even optimism into your day! The power of harnessing your breath to feel your ribcage expand and move reminds me of how fascinating and beautiful our bodies and our world is.
Add a mantra for even more mindfulness benefit
Want to step it up a notch? You can come up with a morning mantra to repeat as you breathe. Breathe in energy, focus, relaxation or whatever word you’d like to bring into your life today. And on the exhale, you can focus on breathing out any stress, distractions, worries or anxiety.
Try this breathing technique before you get out of bed and notice how it changes the tone of not only your mornings, but your entire day!
