Breathe in the Possibilities of Virtual Wellness

A Breath of Fresh Air

As the popularity of mobile devices continues to grow, more and more people are using their phones to improve their lives, far beyond the ordinary social media and communications purposes. The possible benefits are seemingly endless!

So, when life hands you lemons and a smartphone, what should you do? Drink lemonade and research helpful virtual wellness apps.

People are looking for easier, virtual ways to get things accomplished and to feel good.

Break Away from Anxiety Through Breathwork

Take a moment to close your eyes, take a deep breath in and breathe out. Take another deep breath in and breathe out. This very small exercise may have a big impact on how you feel.

Many 21^st-century studies have proven that breathing techniques can be used to reduce stress and improve overall physiological health. This is because when people feel anxiety and stress, the “fight or flight” response is triggered. Cortisol is released, adrenaline is released, the heart beats rapidly and shallow breathing intensifies. However, by manually choosing to stop and take deep breaths, and thus pulling more oxygen into the body, a message of safety and relaxation is delivered to the brain. Deep breathing calms the nervous system, slows the heartbeat, reduces blood pressure and ultimately makes the person feel more at peace. Breathing exercises have also been found to help with insomnia, anxiety, depression, asthma, COPD, chronic pain, Type 2 diabetes and heart health.

A 2014 Carnegie Mellon University study concluded that just 25 minutes of breathing exercises for at least three consecutive days greatly reduces stress, with some other studies showing that as little as 10 minutes a day can result in improvements.

Deep-Breathing Apps

Lately, Americans are spending approximately 10 percent more time using mobile apps. In particular, apps for communication, education, social media, video streaming, games, food delivery, fitness and meditation have all seen major increases. People are looking for easier, virtual ways to get things accomplished and to feel good.

For those who are interested in learning breathing techniques, as well as those who need that extra push to help them breathe deeply on a regular basis, an app may be a great solution. And of course, there are options that fit various needs. For example, some apps offer breathing techniques along with stretching exercises, meditation tools, and stories to help the users fall asleep. While other apps offer coached breathing exercise videos, personal charts, and soothing music to encourage sleep. Finding the deep-breathing app that’s right for you depends on your personal preferences and goals.

Leaving stress and anxiety unmanaged can result in a wide array of physiological problems or may worsen existing illnesses. If there’s one thing to learn about stress, it’s the importance of taking the time to stop and breathe. Thanks to technology, access to helpful resources is at our fingertips.