Time Out to Breathe

Busy day? Busy week? Busy life? Take some time to breathe. Yes, you think you are breathing right now, but really Breathe. Capital B Breathe!

When clients are on the table I have them breathe deeply to help cue their bodies in to relaxing. Shallow quick breathing signals panic time to your body. Deep slow relaxed breathing means everything is okay. You are safe. Follow the wisdom in your breath. It's one of the things you can do for yourself everyday that will make an instant difference in your state of mind. There is a reason you tell someone to take a breath when they are angry. To breathe deeply when they are anxious It helps.

Try this breathing exercise. If you can, lay down the first few times you do this to get a proper feel for the technique. Put a hand on your belly and a hand on your upper chest and as you breathe in you should feel your belly expand not your chest. Now take a deep breath in, really thinking about how your lungs work, fill them completely with the breath. Take a full five seconds to fill your lungs. Then hold that breath. Try another five seconds. Then let it all out again. You got it, five seconds to fully let that breath back out. Repeat. Oh let's say...five times. Go ahead, do it right now...I'll wait for you. Now how do you feel? Can you feel yourself naturally breathing deeper now? Do this at least once a day to remind yourself to fully breathe. As you get used to the deep breathing expand the amount of time you take with each breath. Eight seconds, ten seconds. Fully inhaling and exhaling each time.

And for those of you that have a hard time unwinding to fall asleep try this tonight. After you are in bed and relaxing trying for sleep take in a full deep breath for four seconds, hold it for seven then exhale for eight. Repeat this at least 5 times. I like to imagine the day's stresses and worries leaving my body during that eight second exhale. After you are done with your deep breathing just let yourself drift, again you will naturally slow and deepen your breathing.

So relax. Take some Time Out to Breathe today.

See you soon!

Time Out to Blog

Hello and welcome to Time Out Massage! This first post is going to be short but sweet, kind of a getting to you know you item. The Time Out Massage blog is going to be my attempt at recreating a piece of the Time Out Massage experience.

The suggestion to blog was made by my wonderful friend and fantastic designer Megan Clark. She said, "You really need to blog. You can put in there all of the things you tell clients when they come to see you." I chose to look at this as her way of helping me reach more people, and not her way of saying, "Stop nagging me about my posture!" Whatever she meant by it, it was the spark of a new idea. Each blog will tackle a new subject, a bit of advice I want to pass along, a new healthy idea I want to share or a more in depth look at different types of massage and which might be best for you.

So today is Time Out To Blog. The first step in a beautiful new relationship! Talk with you all again soon!

Mothers Love Massage!

Don't forget! Sunday is Mother's Day.

Give your mom the gift of relaxation. Gift certificates are available.