Breathing tips to help with the stress of a house move

Moving house is really stressful. Whilst there aren’t many things to get rid of that stress altogether, there are some things you can do to actively manage that stress, like breathing.

Here are some amazing breathing tips to help you with the stress of your house move:

Pursing Your Lips

Pursing your lips is a great way to slow your breathing down because you have to put more effort into breathing in the first place. Simply inhale through your nose for two counts, then breathe out through pursed lips for four, and repeat as long as you need to.

The Diaphragm Balloon

We can often breath in and up into our shoulders, which isn’t helpful for stress relief. Instead, practising ‘filling up your diaphragm balloon’ is better. Sitting with your back straight, imagine there is a balloon in your belly and perhaps place your hand on your belly to help. Then, breathe deeply into your belly so it sticks out, then breathe out again fully exhaling all the air. Imagine you are filling up a balloon then deflating it again.

Lions Breath

Lions breath is a really fun option for moving house because it gets out a lot of tension. If you’re stuck with a storage unit full of belongings waiting for the movers, or you’re frustrated at your solicitor’s lack of communication, try doing this breath in private. You simply take a big breath through your nose, then breathe out as strongly as you can saying ‘haaaaa’ with a wide open mouth, tongue sticking out. When you inhale, make your face soft and neutral again. Repeat around 5 times.

The Rule Of Four

The rule of four is about breathing in for four and out for four, but with some visualisation to help. You could imagine a square and a dot on it that takes four seconds to get from each corner to the next. You could imagine a bubble that takes for seconds to fill up with water, and to drain water. You could even imagine the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4.

Alternate Nostril Breathing

Alternate nostril breathing is where you make a fist and leave your little finger and thumb sticking out. You then exhale totally then close your right nostril with your right thumb. You then inhale through the left nostril then close that nostril with your little finger. You then open the right nostril and exhale, inhale, then close that nostril, open the left nostril to exhale through that side. Repeat the cycle for around 5 minutes.

The breathing tips above are great to try if your house move is challenging you. Just a few minutes of controlled breathing can get you level again, and help you regain the strength to push through this difficult and stressful life change.