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Box Breathing for Calm
This style of breath, also called a “Square Breath,” “4x4 Breath,” or “Equal Breathing,” can be used in moments of stress or anxiety, or simply when you’d like to calm down or relax. You may have heard of Box Breathing due to its use as a part of Navy SEAL training—it’s used by soldiers to reduce stress and improve focus during chaotic moments of combat. Research supports this technique to help regulate your autonomic nervous system and it is correlated with improved sleep quality, decreased blood pressure and heart rate, and decreased symptoms of depression.
CranioSacral Therapy: What Is It and How Can It Help You?
CranioSacral Therapy is a noninvasive therapy that assesses, modifies, and corrects restrictions in the craniosacral system to improve wellness and enhance the body’s ability to self-regulate. The craniosacral system is a physiological system that is responsible for the production, circulation, and re-absorption of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). This fluid is what keeps your brain from hitting the side of your skull and it flows all the way down your spine and back up again. Not only does the CSF protect your brain but it also helps maintain the environment for your nervous system to develop, function, and thrive. The system itself consists of the ventricular system that produces the cerebrospinal fluid, dural membranes surrounding the spinal cord, and the bony and fascial attachments of membranes. The practitioner is observing and feeling for areas of restriction in what we call the craniosacral rhythm. This rhythm is the movement of the bones and body tissues in response to the flow of CSF that I mentioned earlier.
Massage Therapy and the Safe and Sound Protocol
Dr. Stephen Porges created the Safe and Sound Protocol to encourage a state shift in our nervous system to a setting of safety. It’s not creating neuroplasticity; it moves the train to a different set of tracks that have been there all along. I initially discovered SSP when searching for interventions to help my son who has a diagnosis of autism, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, and ADHD. SSP creates a setting of safety in the individual’s nervous system increasing their capacity for social engagement.
Yoga as Medicine: Sympathetic Dampening
If the nervous system is repetitively triggered into "fight or flight" mode it can get confused, resulting in "sympathetic wind-up," a constant, heightened resting state. In this stressed state the nervous system has a hard time calming down, resulting in possible pain sensitivity, stress, difficulty sleeping, anxiety, and fatigue. Yoga has been shown to reduce pain, stress, anxiety, depression, and irritability. Yoga practice can also increase blood flow, improve concentration, and improve sleep quality. In short, yoga can produce the opposite effect of "sympathetic wind-up."
Loss of the Sense of Smell After Covid-19
Dealing with a loss or distortion of your sense of smell affects many aspects of your life and can be debilitating. It can also be isolating because others may not understand how profoundly these conditions affect your ability to do normal, everyday things. Reaching out to others who are experiencing these symptoms or joining a support group can reduce feelings of disconnection and provide encouragement and resources. Fortunately, there are options if you or someone you know is suffering from these conditions.