At elevate we aim to be your one on one private personal training experts. A lot of our job is helping your physical health improve. But we always listen and stay attuned to your mental well-being. As the pandemic continues and we spend more time isolated, stress and anxiety levels can go up.

The Kaiser Family Foundation conducted a poll in early April. It found that 45% of adults believe that the pandemic has affected their mental health. Here’s the link to the poll. Anecdotally, based on the clients we train virtually that seems about right. We worry that even as we move towards a limited opening up that the lockdown has had an increasing impact on our moods.

Everyone on the one on one private personal training team have been feeling increased anxiety.

We’ve found that conscious breathing can help. A lot. Some of us felt skeptical, but the team agrees: breathing exercises calm us down. That feels great.

A simple technique that can focus you fast is simply to pause, take a normal breath and count one. Repeat for 3 breaths and start over.

Dr. Andrew Weil’s 4-7-8 Breathing may be even more effective. He based it on yoga controlled breathing technique called “pranayama.”

It’s easy. And fast.

  • Position your tongue just behind your teeth.
  • Breathe in for a count of 4.
  • Hold your breath for a count of 7.
  • Exhale with your mouth open for a count of 8.
  • Repeat up to 3 more times.

Here’s the link to Dr. Weil’s explanation.

Our team hears that clients are craving touch.

An associate pointed our one on one private personal training team to the work of Dr. John Diepold, a Moorestown physician. He created Heart Assisted Therapy® to help combine breathing with touch. His goal: reducing stress and discomfort in two minutes.

It’s a three-part exercise each involves 9 breaths. Here’s the Link to the full explanation.

  • Start by finding a spot where you can stare blankly.
  • In part one, put your hands over your heart. Then take 3 normal breaths. Reverse your hands and take 3 more breaths.
  • Reverse your hands again and take 3 breaths.

In part two, keep your hands over your heart.

  • Take a normal breath. Then say out loud, “Deep in my heart I love and accept myself, even though I am the way I am.”
  • Take another normal breath.
  • Reverse your hands and take a normal breath.
  • Then repeat the affirmation.
  • Take another breath.
  • Reverse your hands and take a normal breath.
  • Then repeat the affirmation.
  • Take another breath.

For Part 3 simply repeat Part 1.

You have many more options of breathing techniques. Most are aimed at helping you relax, lower your heart rate or improve cardiovascular health. Our one on one private personal training team found this collection of 10 from Healthline particularly helpful.

And you may want to look at our post about 5 Ways To Get Unstressed.

As always, we’re here to help. So please contact us with any questions.