MANALAPAN, N.J./STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – Health professionals at the Villas of Manalapan, N.J., suggest that individuals embrace deep-breathing exercises as a means for reducing stress.

Most people, due to normal stress, typically breathe very shallowly, experiencing short and quick inhales and exhales, explain wellness experts at the luxurious independent- and assisted-living senior community near Staten Island, N.Y.

When an individual is feeling particularly stressed, breathing may be even further affected. However, the more a person can slow down and deepen breathing, the better it is for one’s health and well-being, experts say.

As deep breathing may reduce stress, improve energy, induce feelings of relaxation and calm, and improve mood, Villas health experts suggest individuals in general take a few moments each day to practice a breathing exercise.

There are many different types of breathing exercises. Abdominal breathing, or “belly breathing,” improves blood flow to the brain and activates relaxation signals. A person can practice this type of breathwork in only five minutes, so it fits nicely into a morning routine, a break mid-day, and in the evening before bed.

There are also moments within a person’s day where a breathing exercise might conveniently fit it in, helping to encourage a habit – for example: While stopped at a red light; as one first gets into a car, or just before exiting the vehicle, or during a break at work. 

Wellness professional at the Villas of Manalapan, N.J., offer the following six steps for practicing a stress-reducing breathing exercise:

• Get comfortable. One does not need to necessarily be laying down or in a serene setting, because it’s beneficial to be able to replicate this breathwork in different settings. 

• Place one hand on your abdomen near your navel, and the other hand on your chest.

• Inhale through your nose to the count of four. Feel first your chest rise, and then your belly as it fills with air.

• Slowly exhale through your mouth to the count of four, feel your belly lower as the air leaves, and then your chest lowers. You can even gently contract your abdominal muscles to help completely release the remaining air in the lungs.

• On the next breath, inhale and exhale to the count of five, and each breath extending by a count of one, until your breath has lengthened and deepened.

• Find a comfortable number of this deep breathing and repeat for five cycles or so until you feel completely relaxed.

About the Villas of Manalapan

The Villas of Manalapan is an upscale, world class resort-inspired apartment community offering a range of amenities and services sensitive to the lifestyle, health and daily needs of seniors. Orchestrated by Hackensack Meridian Health, the complex is uniquely focused on wellness and prevention – and ideal for singles and couples alike. The luxurious 100,000-square-foot community offers a unique arrangement of supervision and increased healthcare with onsite physician services. Embracing independent-living, assisted-living, skilled-nursing and memory-care needs on specialized floors, the Villas eliminates the need to relocate elsewhere due to health issues, allowing couples to remain together in a comforting, well-managed, posh environment. The Villas is located at 289 Gordons Corner Road, Manalapan, NJ 07726. For information, or to schedule a tour, the Villas may be reached at 732-847-3920, contacted via www.villashmh.com/contact, and visited online at www.villashmh.com.

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