Breath: The Anchor of Your Life
[Breathing Practice to Reduce Stress for Veterans]
By Vrunda Patel

Why Is Your Breath So Important?
Even though your body is physically present, there are a lot of things that happen throughout the day that can take your mind elsewhere. Awareness of your breath brings your mind back to your body and gives you feedback about how your body and mind are doing. You might be surprised by how much your breath can tell you.

Your Breath Is Your Anchor
Is it long or short? Labored or relaxed? Smooth or jagged? By simply taking notice of your breath, you’re already engaging in mindfulness—easy, right? Notice that your breath becomes more relaxed right away. With your mind focused on each breath, you no longer focus on your anxiety and worry. You become more present and aware of your body. 
Let’s take a moment to come back to your breath with this 5-minute meditation led by Sister True Dedication. 

How Deep Breathing helps Veterans?
Deep breathing can be especially helpful to Veterans who have experienced traumatic events (such as military combat or a civilian assault). Deep breathing can help you cope with the stress from these events. Symptoms such as anxiety, “panic” or feeling “stuck in alarm mode” often respond well to deep breathing. To learn more about post traumatic stress or learn about treatment, visit  Liberty Medical Center of Texas

This calming breathing technique for stress, anxiety and panic takes just a few minutes and can be done anywhere. If you're sitting or standing, place both feet flat on the ground. Whatever position you're in, place your feet roughly hip-width apart.

1. Let your breath flow as deep down into your belly as is comfortable, without forcing it.
2. Try breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth.
3. Breathe in gently and regularly. Some people find it helpful to count steadily from 1 to 5. You may not be able to reach 5 at first.
4. Then let it flow out gently, counting from 1 to 5 again, if you find this helpful.
5. Keep doing this for at least 5 minutes.

Step-by-Step Returning to Your Breath Exercise

1. Take a moment to notice the flow of air coming in and going out of your nose, or the natural rise and fall of your abdomen.
2. Return to the questions above: Is your breath long or short? Labored or relaxed? Just observe for now without trying to change anything, like watching waves come and go on the beach.
3. As you continue to be aware of your breath, silently say to yourself, “Breathing in, I know that I am breathing in. Breathing out, I know that I am breathing out. In… out..” and so on.
4. You don’t need to control the breath—simply feel the breath as it is. With your awareness, it naturally becomes slower and deeper, because your breathing begins to reflect the more relaxed state of your body and mind.
5. Next, follow your in-breath, from the beginning, as it enters your nostrils and through to your lungs. Do the same with the out-breath, notice your lungs expelling the air as it moves up through your throat and out through the nostrils. You can silently say to yourself, “Breathing in, I follow the in-breath from its beginning to the end. Breathing out, I follow the out-breath from its beginning to the end.”
6. At any time—while you are walking, working on the computer, or in a meeting—you can return to this peaceful exercise to refocus.

Connect with Your Body
Feeling zen? So are we. But you can notice just how quickly stress and distractions can creep in and disrupt your new-found focus. When you find yourself caught in a cycle of anxiety or distraction, it can be helpful to experience deeper relaxation by performing a breathing exercise.
This is all about bringing your mind’s attention to your body. When we check in with our body and how we’re feeling, we’re able to become deeply relaxed and focused on caring for ourselves in that moment.
Please do not hesitate to reach out and seek medical attention from credible sources such as LMC. You don’t have to be alone with this struggle, and there are many people trained to help you.

Resources:

1. First, it helps to realize that you are not alone. There are many resources and treatments available at Liberty Medical Center of Texas  to you and medical professionals who specialize in working with soldiers and vets with these issues.
   E-mail: info@lmcoftx.org
   Phone: 214-531-0541
   
   
2. The Liberty Medical Center of Texas  (LMC) mental health program strives to assist our members in alleviating mental or emotional illness, symptoms, conditions, or disorders, such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, substance abuse disorders, and behavioral health issues. 

Sources: 
https://plumvillage.org/
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/07-08/ce-corner