Email Apnea – A Real Thing
If emailing and texting contribute to apnea and if sitting is the “new smoking”, then our modern way of working has created a hazardous environment.
So, at work, be kind to you.
Stand up, stretch, go for a walk, take a Breathing Break. You might think more clearly, be more productive and feel less stressed.
Research shows that possibly more than 80% of people unconsciously hold their breath, or breathe shallowly when they are responding to emails or texts.
So what! You may say. But…
Countless years of research demonstrates that unconsciously holding your breath contributes to stress-related and chronic diseases.
Holding your breath disturbs your body’s balance of essential breathing gases of oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitric oxide. These are essential to keep the immune system strong, your ability to fight infection and reduce inflammation.
Your nervous system becomes chaotic and your body gets stuck in the “fight or flight” response which is your emergency state of breathing designed to get you out of immediate trouble. Spending extended periods in “fight/flight” impacts your sleep, exacerbates stress, anxiety, depression and contributes to more serious and chronic diseases.
What can we do?
The easiest, simple practice is to just notice your breathing. When you focus on your breathing for a moment you can take control of any situation.
Slightly slowing down your breath by comfortably extending the exhale – no pushing, forcing or breath holding – just a gentle, slightly deeper, microsecond extension of an exhale. Let the inhale happen naturally.
Your breath is the most powerful wellbeing tool you have.
You can do this brief practice anywhere – at your desk, in a café, on a train or plane.
So next time you are responding to an email, pause for a moment. Notice how you are sitting. Are you slumped over squashing your lungs? Is your breathing shallow? Are your shoulders tense. Do you feel as if you are panting? Perhaps you are breathing through your mouth. These are all signs that you may benefit from improving your breathing habits.
Learning how to change your breathing habits may be your life-saver!
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Thank you for reading.
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