3 Micro Habits That Have Made Me Calmer and Happier

Small daily habits leads to long term growth

Photo by Sage Friedman on Unsplash

There are many habits that we pick up throughout our lives. Some habits like brushing our teeth we pick up at an early age while others are developed later.

Over the past year, I have incorporated three small habits into my daily routine that have helped ground me and make me a calmer person.

Deep Breathing

My first encounter with breathing pattern disorders was when I took part in a course called ‘Flying Without Fear’ in Auckland. The instructor identified that every time I was faced with a stressful situation, my breathing rate would increase and I would start over-breathing. Over a long flight, this would increase my anxiety levels and cause other symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and a reduced appetite.

In her book ‘ Breathing Pattern Disorders’ Dinah says that almost 50–70% of the population suffer from chronic hyperventilation or over-breathing. Hyperventilation can affect the body in many ways, upsetting the levels of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream and triggering the sympathetic nervous system.

Anxiety and stress are common triggers for hyperventilation. With increasing levels of stress and anxiety today, it is no wonder that many suffer…