My smartwatch has a sensor that permanently measures how stressed I am at the moment.
Apart from the fact that this can also stress you out somehow (but fortunately you can also deactivate 😀 the function), there is a sophisticated technology behind it.
And this measures the so-called "heart rate variability". You have to know that our heart doesn't always beat as evenly as we think.
Rather, the heart permanently adapts to the current requirements and beats sometimes a little faster and sometimes a little slower.
So there is always a slightly different amount of time between two heartbeats – the heart rate variability.
Research has now shown that the higher this heart rate variability, the better we can deal with stress (or, conversely, the more relaxed).
The cool thing about it is that we can directly influence heart rate variability.
And that is through our breathing. That's exactly what the heart breathing exercise does, which I would like to introduce to you here.
And it's very simple:
- Sit or lie down comfortably (preferably as always, of course, in nature).
- Breathe in and out a few times normally.
- Now concentrate on the region of your heart with each inhale and exhale (this is offset in the middle slightly to the left behind your sternum).
- Try to awaken in yourself the feeling of breathing in and out of the air through your heart.
- Do this for a few breaths or for as long as it feels comfortable for you.
The exercise is suitable for relaxing body and mind and increasing heart rate variability. If you ebf. have a smartwatch with HRV measurement (HRV = heart rate variability), then you can even read the effect directly on the smartwatch.
In this way, the exercise helps you to deal better with stressful situations and to regain balance more quickly if there is too much stress.
P.S.: As always, the same applies to this exercise: Contact a doctor if you are unsure whether the exercise is suitable for you. This is especially true if you have heart problems, so you should talk to your doctor beforehand.