Unlocking Calm: My Journey with Breath Work for Mental Health

Every day brings with it a whirlwind of emotions, challenges, and stressors, but through this journey of consecutive day 1654 of my Runpreneur diary, I stumbled upon a little hack that has been instrumental in controlling anxiety, worry, and stress – breath work. Let me take you through my recent experiences with this life-changing practise.

Stress is the silent killer we all confront in life, no matter our place or stature. We all have our unique ways of managing and disguising it, some more effectively than others. But what if there was a simple technique to steady the ship amidst life’s stormy seas? Enter breath work, the unsung hero in stress management.

Until recently, my solution to daily stress was through running and my Runpreneur blogging adventure. But it was a vulnerable post from a fellow entrepreneur about conquering a panic attack that introduced me to the world of breath work. His incredible testimony detailed how a simple breathing exercise brought him back from the brink of overwhelming panic. Despite my initial scepticism, this led me to uncover a profound truth – breath work isn't just for meditation enthusiasts or spiritual seekers; it's a practical tool for everyone.

Venturing into this new territory, I found solace in an unassuming mindfulness app on my Apple Watch Ultra 2. This app offers three simple sections: logging emotions, practising controlled breathing, and reflection. At first glance, it seems simple, but each step works wonders in elevating one’s mood and emotional well-being.

Logging how I feel - be it a fleeting moment or over the course of a day - has already offered a fresh perspective on my emotions. By simply acknowledging my feelings and their causes, I noticed an immediate sense of relief, as if a part of the burden had been lifted.

But it is the second segment, the breathing exercise, that holds the true power. It’s remarkable how a mere one to two minutes of following a guided breathing cycle can transform your mental state. The app's soothing graphic guides you to inhale deeply and exhale with control, helping your body return to order when emotional turbulence strikes. Even when I wasn't under intense stress, just feeling slightly subdued, this practises uplifted my spirits and restored peace, proving to be a significant boon to my mental health.

Finally, reflecting with the app’s calming visuals has encouraged me to focus on gratitude and positivity, often sweeping away the all-encompassing stress I had been caught up in. This simple act of refocusing the mind subtly yet effectively shifts my mood in a constructive direction.

The profound impact of integrating breath work into my daily life has been undeniable. Although I'm only at the beginning of this venture, incorporating this practises has already shown benefits I never anticipated. If you’ve never tried breath work, I wholeheartedly recommend it, irrespective of your stress levels. It holds the power to make a remarkably positive difference in your life and mental health.

As always, if you resonate with my mission of saving children's lives through my ultimate ultra-marathon challenge, please consider subscribing, sharing, liking, and commenting. Together, we can spread the message, raise funds, and make life-saving impacts. Thank you for being part of this journey with me. Remember, stay positive and stay happy. I'll catch you tomorrow with more reflections and insights.