Three Deep Breaths

I went to Green Lake to swim late this afternoon, and I swam from the swimming area near the boat rentals to the swimming area by the theater across the lake and back. The summer sun was shining bright, and it really was beautiful. 

As I was making my way across the lake and letting my mind wander, I began focusing on my breath and remembered someone saying that three deep breaths can solve any problem.  Now, I admit that it is the worst when you are upset and someone tells you in the heat of the moment to take a deep breath because it's hard to have someone tell you what to do when you are mad. But when you are calm, it sure is a good idea to practice enough so that you do it on your own when things get tough. Swimming is a perfect chance to do this as you have to turn your head every few strokes to breathe to keep going while it's easier to take it for granted when you are not in the water since we breathe all the time without thinking anything about it. 

I found this online that was telling about why taking a few deep breaths actually works. There are some fancy words below about your brain, but try to stay with me here for a minute.... 

This is from a site I found from UW medicine: This Is Why Deep Breathing Makes You Feel so Chill

QUICK READInhale, exhale

• Deep breathing can help lessen stress and anxiety.
• By breathing slower and more deeply from your stomach, you signal your nervous system to calm down.
• Deep breathing takes practice—it won’t be immediately helpful.
• Trying different breathing patterns, being mindful and having peer support can help improve your deep breathing practice.

This is what I found from another site: 

The simplest and quickest way I know to get a bit of relief from stress goes like this:

Take 3 deep breaths. Each time,

• breathe in deeply (without forcing it), then
• breathe out slowly and smoothly.

How can this be so effective? Well, it’s having a direct effect on two parts of the brain – the amygdala and the pre-frontal cortex.

The amygdala run’s the body’s emergency response system. That includes emergency patterns of breathing – short, fast, and high in the chest. So when you’re stressed, that’s often how you’re breathing.

When you breath slowly and deeply instead, it tells the amygdala that the danger has passed. It can then start to turn off all the other stress responses too.

The pre-frontal cortex is where conscious processing happens in the brain. It has two modes: “narrative” and “direct perception.”

It’s normally in “narrative mode” – concerned with past, present and future, and the unfolding story of our lives. That can be a happy story – but it can also be a stressful one.

When you deliberately take 3 deep breaths, you take your attention to your breathing. That shifts your pre-frontal cortex to “direct perception” mode, and out of “narrative mode.” Any stressful narratives are interrupted, once again signalling to the amygdala that the danger has passed.

Anyway, after you read this, I encourage you to take three deep breaths right now to get some practice. Know that I'm practicing with you and praying for you as I take these deep breaths on these swims across Green Lake as I know this does not come naturally to any of us when we get upset.