Be Well Moment: A Free Practice for Self-Care

Welcome, besties, to your Be Well Moment, a space where we move from insight into the actual practice.
In our last episode, we explored what it really means to care for ourselves beyond what we can buy,
redefining self-care as something we practice, not necessarily something we always purchase.
Now we are creating a space to experience that in real time together.
Today's moment is a simple science-backed breathing practice called cyclical sighing.
It's free, accessible, and designed to gently support our nervous system,
especially in moments of high stress, overwhelm, or fatigue.
This is our reminder that self-care does not have to be elaborate to be effective.
Sometimes it begins with just one intentional breath.
Let's practice together.
All right, y'all.
Are you ready to practice cyclical sighing?
Yeah.
Okay, this is one we hear about things like 4x4 breathing or like the longer exhales to inhales.
This is one that's relatively newer to me, but is one that at times I can find really impactful,
and other times it's not super helpful.
So I'm interested after we practice to hear what your all's feedback is as well.
Okay, so as with any breathing practice, sitting up tall with a long spine helps us get a deeper breath.
Oftentimes our lungs are seen as quite small, but they actually go kind of from the top of our rib cage all the way down to the bottom.
They're really quite large.
So when we sit up tall, that allows us to access that full capacity of our lungs, which we are going to need for this exercise.
So sitting up tall, feet flat on the floor, or if you're grounded on the floor, that's completely fine too.
But having something sturdy helps keep us from feeling sort of floaty or out there a little bit.
So that'll help too.
You're welcome to close your eyes if you so choose.
Not required.
Whatever feels most comfortable for you.
So first, just start by noticing your breath, how it is naturally.
The inhale and the exhale.
Don't try to change anything about it.
Just pay attention to it.
And as you do, on that next exhale, see if you can drop your shoulders away from your ears ever so slightly.
And then inhale.
And when you exhale again, see if you can peel your tongue from the roof of your mouth, relaxing your jaw maybe just a bit.
And then again, inhale.
And on the next exhale, entertain the idea of relaxing right in between your eyebrows.
See if you can let that furrow release even just slightly.
Now that we're kind of settled into our breath and body, we're going to start the practice of cyclical sighing.
So keep breathing naturally.
I'm going to kind of walk us through what it is, and then we'll practice together.
So what I'm going to ask us to do is take a deep breath in, but only fill our lungs about three-fourths of the way.
So not getting that full lung capacity.
And once we go three-fourths, we're going to hold it for just a moment.
We're going to take another inhale, filling our lungs the rest of the way.
And then we're going to exhale all the air out slowly.
Okay?
So we're going to try this practice together.
So start by taking a breath in about three-fourths of the way, not completely full.
Pause for a moment.
And then take another inhale, filling up the rest of the way.
And then gently release all of the air out.
We're going to take a few more breaths like that.
So breathe in three-fourths.
Take that last little breath.
And then let it all out.
We're going to do one more just like that.
So breathe in part of the way.
Hold.
Breathe in the rest of the way.
And slowly exhale it all out.
And then come back to your normal breathing, your normal inhales and exhales.
Maybe wiggle your fingers or toes to kind of welcome you back to this space.
You can open your eyes if they are closed.
And then we'll take any observations.
What did you all notice during the cyclical sighing practice?
I was actually kind of nervous for this one.
I have been kind of anxious and stressed lately.
And when I'm anxious and stressed, my chest often feels tight.
And I have a hard time taking a deep breath.
So I was worried that going in, I was just going to be thinking about that.
And that I would not be able to breathe.
And then I would be like, why can't I breathe?
And spiral.
That did not happen this time, luckily.
It actually felt really nice to have a guided breathing practice.
My brain actually let me do it instead of worrying about, oh my gosh, why can't you take a deep breath?
So very helpful for me today.
And that's completely normal.
Like my brain and body also do that sometimes.
If I'm overthinking breathing, it's like, okay, I'm trying to take a deep breath.
And now I can't take a deep breath.
And I can't get deeper.
And now I can't breathe.
And my chest is caving in.
And I can't, I'm never going to be able to breathe again.
It's never going to be normal.
Never again.
Yes.
And that is completely normal for our brains to spiral.
Recognizing that pattern and the, like, oh, my brain's going to that place is the practice and coming back to that breath.
Brynny, I'm curious for you.
What was this like?
I've been yawning since we did it.
And now my body's like, give me more.
Give me more.
So you need a few more of those cyclical sighs or deep breaths.
Yeah.
Absolutely.
Yeah, I think, you know, breath work is something that it is not for everybody.
And truly every breath practice is not for everybody.
And that's completely okay.
But it is something that is so easily accessible to us, no matter where we are, whether we are standing in line at the grocery store or in car line for our kids drop off or before we get up and speak at a presentation or just when we wake up in the morning.
It is something that is at our disposal at all times.
And so it can really be, like I said before, both that maintenance and reactionary self-care piece.
And that's available to us at any time.
For free.
For free.
Kind of amazing.
And don't, besties, don't stop getting your massages or your bubble baths or the candles.
Do those things if they make you feel good.
And add some of these other things in too.
Add the practices.
Add the breathing and the water and moving your bodies and listening to your favorite songs as well.
As all part of your self-care plan.
We don't have to limit it.
We are so grateful that you came and practiced a little bit of breathing with us today.
You deserve all the self-care in the world so you can continue to be your favorite version of yourself every day.
And with all the people that you want to be your favorite version.
We are so grateful you have joined us and we cannot wait to see you again next time.
Be well, besties.