Learning to Reduce Stress and Slow Down

Optimizing breathing can be a way of improving the whole process of energy production in the body. When done in a right way, breathing helps us reduce stress, manage our stress level with flying colors and slow down a bit. What is crucial is to perform this activity consciously. To achieve even better results in stress and health management, consider appropriate tools such as smartwatches from Huawei Watch Family.

Contents

Managing your energy levels What is SpO2?Activate your breathing awareness Handling stress Day-to-day stress control with HUAWEI Health app Long-term continuous monitoring makes health data more meaningful Upgraded heart rate monitoring technology Premium materials

Managing your energy levels

Optimizing breathing can be a way of improving the whole process of energy production in the body. Certain breathing techniques can work as well as an espresso shot – instantly increasing our heart rate and improving blood circulation.

“During the day it is good to take a break to do a few slow and deep breaths. Focusing on the inhalation, making it bigger than the exhalation, will have an energizing effect. You can also briefly pause at the top of the inhale when the lungs are full. This method should be only used very briefly – if we continue to breathe deeply for a longer period, we might start feeling dizzy”. Martin Petrus, a renowned breathwork and meditation coach.

What is SpO2?

What makes us function efficiently? The right levels of oxygen (O2) in the blood, and consequently our blood oxygen saturation (SpO2). For a healthy person, it typically falls between 95 and 100% measured at sea level. Observing our oxygen saturation can not only be interesting, but it can give valuable insights into how our body is performing. A lower than usual SpO2 is not a reason to panic but could be an indication to investigate further. Decreased SpO2 can result in hypoxia, a state when tissue has lower oxygen levels. This could cause symptoms like increased heart rate, shortness of breath, sweating, headache, chest pain, or even confusion. How can you control it and reduce stress? With the support of every Huawei Watch family, which are able to perform automatic measurements at specified intervals. And with Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro and Huawei Watch Fit its users can have a constant SpO2 level monitoring 24/7!

Activate your breathing awareness

One of the measurements for general fitness is VO2Max. This is the amount of oxygen absorbed during one minute of maximum effort. As an assessment, it is commonly used to determine the endurance levels of athletes. High VO2Max can not only help in sports, but also increase longevity.

“Physical exercise, especially aerobic training, can raise our ability to utilize oxygen, but it can also be done with breathwork. Studies have shown that breath-holding techniques can improve VO2Max, even in highly trained individuals”, says the expert.

Checking the VO2Max level is possible thanks to Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro and its professional data. Its consumption measurement reflects cardiorespiratory fitness and endurance capacity in exercise performance.

Handling stress

Without question, reducing stress is a big factor in our lives. In a short burst, it can be stimulating, but chronically it can have a dramatic impact on our health. What does it depend on? The circumstances and dose. Chronic stress can even lead to dysfunctions in the body. When we are constantly agitated, the body does not have time for recovery and regeneration.

An ideal situation would be to have short periods of effort and alertness, but with a proper recovery period afterwards. There is a close relationship between our breathing and stress levels. Our autonomic nervous system has two main modes of operation – the sympathetic, which shifts our body into actions, and the parasympathetic, which brings in relaxation. These two modes regulate the majority of our bodily functions, from sight and hearing to heart rate and digestion. Breathing can be a simple way of regulating our nervous system and increasing resilience.

“Shifting from stress to relaxation requires a bit of effort, and this is where breathing comes in handy. The first thing is to focus on the exhale, because this phase of the breath is considered to be more relaxing. We can pay attention to a long and smooth exhale, and at the same time focus on relaxing the whole body. We can also consciously reduce our breathing rate. Slowing down the inhalation and exhalation to 5-6 seconds is one of the simplest things we can do to move into the parasympathetic state.”

Day-to-day stress control with HUAWEI Health app

Any time that we feel the need to reduce stress, the easiest solution is to get control of our breath, slow the rate down, and the rest of our physiology will follow. From the fear of public speaking to even more extreme situations like panic attacks, we can train ourselves to use our breath to shift our state. Breathing can also have a great impact on our sex life, helping to connect with the body and intensifying physical sensations.

As pointed out stress levels rise in many everyday situations. In order to control it, it is worth monitoring the most important health statistics available in HUAWEI Health app – available through both Android and iOS. Keep an easy-to-access record of your all-day stress tracking, heart rate, blood oxygen levels, blood pressure, sleep quality, step count and more. All your data is shown in clear, dynamic graphs to always keep you informed, easily and quickly.

Long-term continuous monitoring makes health data more meaningful

The HUAWEI WATCH GT series is the pioneer to set forth the ultra-long battery life of smart watches. On top of this , it also took the lead in introducing a continuous SpO2 tracking feature on HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 Pro which is a feature that should not be overlooked. According to the different light absorption rates of oxygenated hemoglobin and deoxygenated hemoglobin, Huawei detects the SpO2 level by measuring the reflected light of a specific wavelength on the wrist. Superficially, it is only upgraded from on-demand detection to a continuous one, but underneath is the core technical support in multiple dimensions, in a better system for users with active health management.

Upgraded heart rate monitoring technology

Both the HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 Pro supports the newly upgraded HUAWEI TruSeen™ 4.0+ heart rate monitoring technology that uses an innovative optical path design. Coupled with AI smart heart rate algorithms and PPG modules, HUAWEI TruSeen™ 4.0+ allows Huawei smart watch to provide accurate and responsive heart rate monitoring for users.

Premium materials

The HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 Pro is equipped with a high-precision ceramic back fitted with a 6-in-1 LED lens for greater light penetration into users’ blood, so as to achieve continuous, instant and accurate monitoring. Whether for heart rate, reduce stress level, sleep quality or SpO2, the HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 Pro supports an all-round monitoring all day long.

If you’re in the market for a new smartwatch that also acts as a personal trainer and health coach – look to Huawei’s wearable lineup available in retailers across Canada.