When students write and express their feelings, they can reduce amygdala activity, which is the brain’s emotional center; this allows students to better engage their thinking brain. This is why feelings of sadness, anger, and pain are less intense after written out on paper. Help your students develop a journaling practice so they are better prepared to engage with their learning.
Learn more about how journaling can help students (and you!) manage stress in this video.
While the breathing exercises, movement, and stretching might vary slightly depending on the age group, here are some ways to get students moving in the classroom:
Just. Breathe.
Breathing exercises are some of my favorite strategies for managing stress. When you’re stressed, you can use your breath to not only stay level-headed but actually change your mood or emotional state.
People often ask how long a breathing exercise or breathing practice should last.
My answer? There’s no magic number!
It isn’t about how many minutes you commit to your practice, it’s about how consistent you can be. So don’t put a time constraint on your practice, instead, set the goal to take deep, mindful breaths every day and make this practice a HABIT.
Here are some tips for helping your practice become a habit:
The more you work to make mindful breathing part of your routine, the better equipped your brain is to access this strategy during stressful situations, and the more you can feel in charge of your stress and emotions.
Okay, so you know breathing exercises can help you calm down and get to a place where you can think critically and clearly about how to best respond to the stressful situations around you.
But do you ever wonder if you’re doing it right?
I’ve been getting a lot of questions about the “right” way to breathe and I want to share some of my answers, but I also want to emphasize a successful breathing practice isn’t really about doing it “right”; it’s about finding what works best for you!
That being said, here’s one of the tips I have for maximizing the benefits of your breathing exercises.
Start with your posture and position.
To fully access your deepest breath, sit up nice and straight:
And my final recommendation: Do you have one hand on your belly and one hand on your chest? As you breathe in, push your belly out into your hand, and as you breathe out, allow the belly to fall back towards the spine. The hand on your chest should have as minimal movement as possible, so you are using the belly to breathe deeply and access your sense of calm.
From there, you’re ready to begin your breathing exercise!
A beneficial breathing practice doesn’t demand perfect posture, but strategic posture will let you access the sense of relaxation and calm you’re seeking. Adjust your positioning as needed to feel confident and comfortable as you breathe.
Interested in more guidance on how to develop a regular breathing practice and how breath and movement can help you relax and focus throughout your day? Check out my Cost of Care Course intended for helping professionals and anyone else looking for tools to cope with their stress.
Should you keep your eyes opened or closed during breathing exercises?
My answer: It depends.
There’s some pros and cons to both, so you have to decide for yourself which approach you prefer.
When you close your eyes, you can shut out distractions, better hear your breath, and be more present with sensations in your body.
(But you might feel uncomfortable or exposed when you can’t see your surroundings, or you might be unable to focus your mind.)
When you keep your eyes open, you may feel more present with your surroundings, and you might be more comfortable and secure when you can see what’s going on around you.
(But you may be easily distracted by your surroundings.)
The key is finding what’s most comfortable for you! Alternate back a forth a few times to find if you feel more relaxed and focused with your eyes opened or your eyes closed.
And here’s a tip for those who decide to keep their eyes open:
Eyes opened or eyes closed, the important thing is that you Just. Keep. Breathing.