Believe it or not, a lot of us forget how to breathe! Proper breathing, or diaphragmatic breathing, means that when we inhale our stomachs expand and when we exhale, it falls. If you pay attention to an opera singer or a trained singer you will notice that this is how they breathe. This is also how babies breathe. Overtime, however, we forget and start to take short, shallow breaths in our chest.
Creating a habit of focusing on diaphragmatic breathing for just three minutes a day can start to improve mental health. It is one form of meditation, and helps us to feel more present in our bodies. This is an easy exercise to do with your child. If your child has difficulty making their tummy rise and fall, try putting a small stuffed animal on their belly so they can practice making it go up and down.
As with any habit, find the time that really works for you. You may not be someone that can easily do this in the morning, but could it be part of the bed time routine? What about part of a staff meeting or family dinner? This is a free and easy activity that we think you will see has big benefits for your family! If you want to learn more about the benefits of diaphragmatic breathing, click the link below:
https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-reduce-stress-by-deep-breathing-2797585
