Notice how it feels: is it relaxed (hanging out 😊) or flat and tense, like you’re holding it in?
A tense belly gives your body (and brain) the signal that there is danger.
So, your nervous system goes into fight or flight response.
Your belly gets tighter. Your breath becomes shallow.
A tight belly means a tight diaphragm (your main muscle for breathing). A tight diaphragm also tenses your neck and head, since our whole body is connected via the fascia (connective tissue layers).
A tight belly also means a tightening of the main organs, and blood vessels in the belly (blood is taken from the main organs and re-routed to the arms and legs).
So, your whole body is prepared for either the flight (that is, running from the danger) or the fight: you’re prepared to defend yourself from that unseen danger, which isn’t actually there, but your brain – nervous system doesn’t know that.
What’s next?
So, the first step is awareness: to recognize the state your body is in, the state your mind is in.
The second one is to smile and start to relax your face.
Then you can relax your whole body going from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet.
Use your favourite technique (or find a guided relaxation audio or video out there).
Let your belly soften and hang out (shhh, nobody is looking). This already gives your nervous system a signal that it’s safe to relax a bit more.
And, then, let your breath become a bit deeper. Move it from your chest to your abdomen. Let it become longer, more fluid and more velvety.
Breathe in, and breathe out. Let your outbreath become longer than your inbreath and relax even more.
And then, allow the smile on your face move down, into the whole body and infuse your body with good energies.
Notice how you already feel better. How your face is softer and your breath freer.
Another tip would be to massage your belly.
You can massage it through your clothes, if you aren’t at home or using massage oil, when you are at home and can relax and unwind.
You can do this belly massage yourself, or you can go to a practitioner who does a special kind specialized belly massage, like the Chinese therapy Chi Nei Tsang. If you’re in Bucharest, you can book a belly massage session with me, Miruna, at 0720-029877.
You’re now more equipped to get out of a stressed situation a bit easier.
Try those and let me know how it goes.
