Breathing and Relaxation Tips for Winter Recess

Tuesday, December 14th, 2021—With the holidays right around the corner, Mrs. Morehouse from Syracuse Academy of Science and Citizenship elementary school would like to share some helpful tips and tricks on how to take deep 'belly breaths' to relax.

This time of year can be very stressful for many people, including our Atoms! One coping mechanism we use at school is belly breathing - a technique where we take deep breaths in and make our belly expand like a balloon, and then we blow out our mouth like we are blowing out a candle.

Taking deep belly breaths involves more muscles than taking a shallow breath into our chest. Due to belly breathing, our bodies can't respond to the "fight or flight" response that stress and anxiety may produce. Check out one of our Atoms modeling how belly breathing works!  Notice the little pink spot moving up as she breathes into her belly and down as she breathes out.

Some ways we do this at school is by using Little Spot Breathing Tricks! When students feel like they are getting upset, or when an adult notices them upset, they begin making circles in the palm of their hand and counting to 10, once they get to ten they take a deep belly breath. They do this until they feel they are regulated enough to talk or go back to class. Our goal is to get them to take three deep belly breaths. Check out our other hand-breathing tricks, and try them at home!

We hope all of our Atoms have a very happy, healthy, and safe Winter Recess!