TAMPA, Fla. — Stress is something people deal with on a daily basis.
However, there are several steps you can take to reduce stress. Simple breathing exercises throughout your day can get your brain in shape, improve your thinking, and improve your ability to deal with stress.
Brain scientist Dr. Patrick Porter told ABC Action News he recommends starting with some breath work to stimulate your brain in the morning, afternoon, and evenings.
In the mornings, Dr. Porter said to try doing three sets of what he calls The Breath of Fire exercise. This is when you breathe in and exhale out your nose as quickly as you can for 30 seconds.
He recommends Box Breathing in the afternoon. This is simply just breathing into the count of four and breathing out to the count of four.
Then, at night, to aid in getting good, deep sleep, Dr. Porter told ABC Action News people should focus on breathing into the count of four and breathing out to the count of eight.
“You’ll be totally relaxed because when you breathe out twice as long as you breathe in, your body will release and uncoil all of the stress of the day, and that’s going to be really good,” explained Dr. Porter.
He added that classical music is also a great way to help relax and balance the brain at any time of the day. And the harmonic tones are also beneficial to brain health.
Dr. Porter developed an app called Brain Tap. It allows you to track your progress with these brain exercises. You can learn more about the app by clicking here.
