How to Use Yoga and Breathwork to Manage Stress and Enhance Patience
Techniques for using yoga and breathwork to stay calm and patient during stressful times
Stress and motherhood often go hand in hand. Whether it’s the endless to-do lists, sibling squabbles, or sleepless nights, it’s easy to feel like you’re constantly running on fumes. In those moments when stress peaks and patience feels like a distant memory, yoga and breathwork can be your secret weapons to reset, refocus, and stay calm. 🧘♀️✨
Here’s how you can use yoga and simple breathing techniques to manage stress and cultivate more patience—even on the toughest days.
1. Breathe First, React Later
When stress hits, your breath is often the first thing to go—becoming shallow, quick, or even held in altogether. The next time you feel your patience wearing thin, pause and take one or more deep breaths before reacting. This simple act can create enough space between your initial stress response and your actions, giving you the chance to react with calm instead of frustration. It’s all about resetting that nervous system!
Try This: 3-Deep-Breath Reset
Take a slow, deep inhale through your nose, counting to 4.
Hold the breath for 2 counts.
Exhale slowly through your mouth, counting to 6.
Repeat 3 times.
This short exercise sends a signal to your nervous system that it’s okay to relax. In just a few breaths, you’ll notice a subtle shift in your mood and mindset, helping you approach the situation with more patience. 💖
2. Incorporate Grounding Poses During Stressful Moments
Certain yoga poses help you feel more grounded and calm, making them perfect for managing stress in real-time. The next time you’re feeling overwhelmed or on the verge of losing your cool, try grounding poses that help release tension from the body and soothe the mind.
Quick Grounding Flow to Try:
Mountain Pose: Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, arms at your sides, and palms facing forward. Take a deep breath, root through your feet, and visualize yourself as a strong, steady mountain—unmovable by life’s chaos.
Forward Fold: From Mountain Pose, exhale as you hinge forward at the hips, letting your head hang heavy. This release in your back and neck relieves tension and helps calm the mind.
Child’s Pose: Kneel down, sit back on your heels, and fold forward, resting your forehead on the mat. With each inhale, feel your back expand, and with each exhale, release stress and anxiety.
These simple poses, combined with slow, steady breathing, help you pause, reconnect, and handle whatever comes next with more patience and ease.
3. Practice the 4-7-8 Breathing Technique
This powerful breathwork technique is a great tool for calming anxiety and improving patience, especially in high-stress moments. It helps shift your nervous system from "fight or flight" into a relaxed, parasympathetic state, allowing you to respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively.
How to Practice 4-7-8 Breathing:
Inhale quietly through your nose for a count of 4.
Hold your breath for a count of 7.
Exhale completely through your mouth for a count of 8, making a whooshing sound as you do.
Repeat for 4 full cycles.
You can practice this technique any time you feel stress creeping in—before a tough conversation, after a meltdown (yours or your kids’ 😅), or even while waiting in line at the store. It brings you back to the present moment, helping you respond from a place of calm and clarity.
4. Body Awareness to Manage Stress
When stress arises, we often hold tension in our bodies without even realizing it. Shoulders creep up to the ears, jaws clench, and the chest tightens. By practicing body awareness, you can catch these subtle signs of stress early and release tension before it spirals into impatience or frustration.
Simple Body Awareness Practice:
Take a moment to check in with your body. Start at the top of your head and slowly scan down through your face, neck, shoulders, chest, belly, and legs.
Notice any areas where you’re holding tension (clenched jaw, hunched shoulders, tight hips).
As you exhale, consciously relax those areas, softening with each breath.
This practice encourages mindfulness and keeps you grounded in the present moment, making it easier to manage stress when it arises. It’s especially helpful when you’re feeling overwhelmed and need a quick reset.
5. End Your Day with a Relaxing Breathwork Ritual
After a long day of managing life, work, and family, give yourself a few minutes to unwind with a calming breathwork ritual before bed. This simple routine helps you let go of the day’s stress, ease any lingering tension, and prepare for a restful night’s sleep.
Try This: 5-Minute Bedtime Breathwork
Find a comfortable seated position or lie down in bed.
Inhale deeply for a count of 4, filling your lungs completely.
Hold your breath for a count of 4.
Exhale slowly for a count of 6, releasing all the air.
Repeat for 5 minutes, focusing on the sensation of the breath and allowing your body to relax fully with each exhale.
By incorporating this practice into your nightly routine, you can melt away the stress of the day and set yourself up for a peaceful, restorative sleep.
In Conclusion: Cultivate Calm and Patience with Yoga and Breathwork
Stressful moments are inevitable, but how you respond to them is something you can control. Yoga and breathwork are powerful tools to help you manage stress, stay calm, and cultivate more patience—both with yourself and others. Whether it’s a few deep breaths in the heat of the moment, a grounding yoga pose to release tension, or a nightly breathwork ritual to wind down, these mindful practices help you stay centered and calm amidst the challenges of motherhood.
Remember, even a few minutes of conscious breathing or mindful movement can make a world of difference in how you feel and respond to stress. Give yourself that space—you deserve it. 💖🙏
