Waiting to Exhale

Published April 30, 2012

Few can deny how relaxing a massage can be, but we often don’t have time (or $) for such a luxury. One thing you can do to nearly instantly change your mood is to control your breathing.

When I was in high school I developed a stress disorder call TMJ (short for temporomandibular joint). Read more about TMJ here. In response to stress I would clench my jaw so tightly at night as I slept I started getting chronic tension headaches during the day. It took a while to diagnose because I didn’t even realize I was doing it each night. In addition to getting a mouth guard made by a dentist I also participated in biofeedback sessions that taught me that by simply breathing deeply and being more mind-body aware I could loosen my muscles and get a handle on my stress. It was during this time I first read about aromatherapy too and how essential oils like lavender can have a profound calming effect.

The other day I came across this article on mindbodygreen.com called 3 Breathing Exercises to Uplift Your Mood. The author, Julie Wilcox, describes how to do simple 3 breathing techniques often used in yoga to relax, lift your mood or boost energy. Follow this link to try them for yourself.

Want to make your ‘breathing session’ even more beneficial? Add Just Coco virgin coconut oils! Here’s a handy guide to Just Coco Body Oils to…