"We create these virtual lions that are chasing us all the time and keeping the stress up."
- Ana Melikian
In this episode, the host, Ana Melikian, delves deep into the often-overlooked power of breathing. She brings to light how specific breathing practices can significantly increase our well-being and mental fitness.
Ana starts by providing a compelling case for why breathing holds such prominence in various meditation traditions. She also draws from her background in psychology, recounting her journey, which included writing an ebook and conducting workshops about the transformative potential of conscious breathing.
Ana outlines how breathing is uniquely positioned as both an involuntary and voluntary function. This duality allows it to serve as a bridge between our psychological and physiological states. She describes how modern life's chronic stress can keep us in a heightened state of alert, likening it to having our foot stuck on the accelerator of a sports car due to the over-activation of the sympathetic nervous system.
In contrast, by intentionally slowing down our breath, we can engage our parasympathetic nervous system, leading to greater relaxation and recovery. Ana provides practical advice on how to measure and adjust your breathing rhythm, introducing simple exercises such as belly breathing and Dr. Weil's 4-7-8 technique.
Ana closes the episode by encouraging listeners to experiment with these breathing exercises and attune to their natural rhythm, as these small adjustments can unlock profound benefits.
Let's dive in!
This week on The Mindset Zone:
00:06 Introduction and Welcome
01:03 Exploring the Significance of Breathing
02:04 Ana's Journey into Breathing Practices
03:13 Involuntary and Voluntary Nature of Breathing
04:04 The Bridge Between Psychology and Physiology
06:09 Modern Life's Chronic Stress and Sympathetic Nervous System
07:19 Understanding the Nervous System and Stress Responses
09:41 Conscious Breathing to Engage the Parasympathetic System
10:38 Practical Advice on Measuring and Adjusting Breathing Rhythm
12:26 Experimenting with Breathing Exercises
14:03 Encouragement to Share and Continue Exploring Breathing Techniques
14:45 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Meet Your Host:
Ana Melikian, Ph.D., advises leaders on how to amplify impact while avoiding burnout. She is passionate about teaching others how to unlock their human potential using simple and powerful approaches such as her P.I.E. method.
𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐭?
Set a time to speak with Ana HERE and learn about your (or your team's) burnout risk and how to enhance well-being, effectiveness, and teamwork!
Connect with:
Ana on LinkedIn
Resources:
Dr. Weil explains how to do his 4-7-8 breathing technique. Relaxing Breathing Exercise
2012 eBook: Breathing: The Power Within
Dr. Weil Audiobook: Breathing: The Master Key to Self-Healing
Dr. Weil explains how to do his 4-7-8 breathing technique. Relaxing Breathing Exercise
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8fjYPC-k2k
Related episodes:
Evening Rituals: Finish Every Day
Expand What’s Possible