From breathwork to self-care: how to rest and reset at home
14/08/2024
It was a wise person who said: ‘Choose a day to rest or your body will choose one for you.’
But despite knowing the risks of burnout, many of us continue to keep pushing ourselves at a pace that isn’t sustainable. So, how can we truly make time for ourselves?
To help answer that question, we went to Harriette Wight, a women’s breathing coach and breathwork practitioner. In essence, this means she shows people how to use their breath – for example, by inhaling slowly and deeply – to influence how they feel. And, since we all breathe all the time, it’s one of the most readily available ways to shift our mood; you don’t even need to leave the house.
So, grab those overloaded diaries and book yourself a day with... yourself (and us), as we round up how to rest and reset at home.
Take time out for you
The first step to solving a problem is to acknowledge it, so start by accepting that you need to switch off. After all, the stats speak for themselves: in the largest known study of stress levels in the UK (undertaken by YouGov in 2018 with a sample size of 4,619 respondents), it was found that 74% of people felt so stressed that they’d been overwhelmed or unable to cope.1
“People are realising that the things they thought were helping them relax – for example, alcohol and scrolling on socials – are actually increasing stress”
Our collective stress levels have led to a change in how we care for ourselves, says Harriette. “I have seen a big shift in people looking for ways to connect with their body and the natural world. We spend so much time using our brains whether that’s at work, organising home life or interacting on social media there is a longing to be in quieter less stimulating spaces,” she explains.
“I think people are also realising that the things they thought were helping them relax – for example, alcohol and scrolling on socials – are actually increasing stress. This has seen them turn to other practices like mindfulness, breathwork, grounding [such as heading outside to place your bare feet on the earth] and journalling,” she continues. In other words, it’s vital to set aside time for what makes you happy. Speaking of which…
Look out for ‘glimmers’
You may have heard the word ‘glimmer’ from psychologists and mental health advocates on social media. It’s the opposite to a trigger – which sparks a negative thought process – and is commonly understood as a moment of joy, which help you create a sense of safety and stillness.2
These moments of joy will vary from person to person – sunlight filtering through a window, a child taking their parent’s hand, your dog sneezing in surprise – but they have one thing in common. You have to be present – or conscious of your surroundings – to notice them.
“We can often spend our time thinking about what’s coming up and what has been and spend little time in the present moment.”3 says Harriette. She suggests using your breathing to find “a moment to switch the brain’s focus, to see how our body is feeling and what it needs in that exact moment.”
You can also create moments of enjoyment and stillness in your day, for example through may yoga or meditation. You’ll find a quick tip for doing this over on our YouTube. Or try some aromatherapy, a holistic therapy which harnesses the fragrances found in aromatic plants. There's some evidence to suggest these may help support your mind, body and general wellbeing.4
Soothe your nervous system
Ok, now it’s time for some science involving your nervous system, how you can benefit from its different parts and even how you can control some aspects of it – get ready…
Our nervous system includes two parts: the sympathetic and the parasympathetic. Our sympathetic nervous system is the one that drives the ‘fight or flight’ response in stressful situations.5 When you perceive a danger or threat, your body’s sympathetic division gets prepared for action6 and leads to that agitated, twitchy feeling you get with a surge of adrenalin.
“Breathwork can be a great tool to help find those calm ‘rest and digest’ spaces that we need”
At the opposite end of the scale is the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), which is the one that helps your body relax. Sometimes referred to as the ‘rest and digest’ system, it’s body's response when the body is relaxed and resting or feeding.7 Think of lions lazing about after successfully chasing and eating a big meal, yawning lazily in the safety of their pack – they’re in ‘rest and digest’ mode.
"Ideally our nervous system should be balanced, and we should easily be able to move into different states,” says Harriette. “However, with our busy modern lives we can get stuck in the high-stress, high-action states. This is where breathwork can be a great tool to help find those calm ‘rest and digest’ spaces that we need.” New to breathwork? No problem – we’ve got the detail next.
Try some breathwork
“At its simplest, breathwork is a means of consciously controlling your breathing to change how you feel physically, mentally and emotionally,” says Harriette, who has shared a simple exercise for us on her Instagram. Breathwork can be used as a calming technique as part of your daily routine and – breathing can play an essential role in anxiety8 – it may help with stress, anxiety or feelings of panic.
“When we start to focus on our breathing and consciously change the way we breathe, it can profoundly change how we feel as well as influence other automatic functions in our body, for example by reducing our heart rate,”9 says Harriette.
In short, think of the PNS as that best friend who helps to calm you down, as it basically undoes the work of sympathetic division after stress.7 That’s the best friend you need to schedule time with – and breathwork could help you do that.
Be kind to yourself
Many of us speak to ourselves in a way we would never speak to another person, often without even realising it. One method to counteract this is through affirmations, which are positive statements you can repeat or write down somewhere you’ll see regularly. For example, the words "I am enough" are something that people can struggle to say and believe. What would your chosen phrase be?
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) may also help you discover self-compassion. Known as a talking therapy, it can help you manage your difficulties by changing the way you think and behave. It aims to help you deal with overwhelming feelings by breaking them down into manageable pieces10 and helping you spot when you’re stuck in negative patterns.
“One of my favourite things to do is a self-hug – it’s about giving thanks to my body and my mind for doing something great for my wellbeing”
For Harriette, breathwork is a way in to being kind to herself: “Breathwork informs a lot of my self-compassion practices; it gives me time and space to listen to my body and discover what I need. When I need that extra boost I’ll add a mantra into the practice, which supports that positive self-talk.”
She also has one more tip for showing yourself you care: “One of my favourite things to do is a self-hug, especially after a breathwork practice. It's about really giving thanks to my body and my mind for taking the time to do something great for my wellbeing.” Sweet.
Indulge in some self-care
Since your mind and body are interlinked, it’s important to take care of yourself physically as well as mentally. Taking active steps to relax can help you manage your cortisol levels and hopefully make you feel less stressed.
It doesn’t have to be anything too fancy either – we loved hearing how Olympian Phoebe Gill did her skincare routine and ‘watched The Gilmore Girls’ to unwind before her big event.
Here are three ideas for showing yourself some self-care at home:
- Gather your favourite skincare, hair products and nail polishes and plan out your perfect treatment. Just make sure you don’t do that mani-pedi just before bed or you’ll end up with the dreaded ‘duvet nail’ – creases that emerge in your polish over night.
- Embrace essential oils. Did you know that many essential oils can be used for your skin and hair too? Find out more with the best essential oils for skin and hair – we’ll be applying coconut oil to our hair as we soak in the bath.
- Don’t forget the snacks! When you’re having a rest-and-reset day, you’ll want to stock up in advance. At H&B we offer a range of food and drink products that will provide nutrients as well as feelgood flavour.
The final say
Although it’s easy to ping-pong between work or study to social events, taking time for yourself can be just as rewarding – plus it’s important for our wellbeing.
When we feel good about ourselves we can be more confident and make healthier decisions, both in our personal and professional lives.
Sometimes we simply need to put ourselves first.