Breathing Relaxation
Okay, with me now, inhale . . . feel it in your diaphragm?
Now exhale slowly, down to the very last ounce of breath in you. Feel better? I
know I do. Breathing right is as important to our health and well being as good
diet, exercise and fresh air. Breathing relaxation techniques can eliminate
stress and even help us live longer.
Professional singers will tell you how important breathing
is, and the many benefits they receive from the physical act of learning to
breath correctly so they can deliver the vocal gymnastics we appreciate.
Professional athletes are another group who benefit from trained breathing
habits. Unfortunately there aren’t many careers in our society that rely on
basic good breathing techniques to get through the day. Chances are, if they were
a requirement for doctors, teachers, accountants, even stay at home parents, I
wouldn’t be writing this today.
We generally blame stress on outside influences. The extra
work heaped on our plate late in the day. A looming deadline. More obligations
than time in the day. We all have these stressors in our life in one form or
another. Yet it’s actually the physical manifestation of those stresses inside
of us that do the most harm. When we find ourselves overwrought, our chest
muscles constrict, and before we know it, we’re breathing more shallowly and
rapidly than we should. This can leads indigestion, panic attacks, illness and
can even make us fatigued.
By introducing a breathing relaxation technique into your daily
routine, to use when feeling anxious, you can engender a calm, serene approach
to even the most intense situations. This is one of the basic principles of
both Yoga and Tai Chi, and can also be found in many forms and styles of
meditation. Overall, there are three basic elements to every method of
breathing relaxation.
First, learn to breathe deeply. In power breathing, one is
taught to imagine forcing the breath into each extremity on the inhale, and
then to imagine the exhalation coming back from each point and flowing out of
you. Feel your abdomen expand as you inhale, and sink as you exhale.
Second, posture is important. Make sure you are sitting or
standing upright. Hunched over, with shoulders slumped, decreases the lung’s
ability to fully inflate and can constrict the chest and abdomen muscles.
Third, count your breaths. Rapid or frequent breaths don’t
allow you to pull in enough oxygen to fully relax. Practice breathing deep for
a count of five, holding for a count of five, and then exhaling for another
count of five. A few deep breaths like this will have you feeling relaxed and
more energetic.
Relaxing anywhere, at anytime, can be achieved by
practicing these three easy steps. Once you discover the impact breathing right
has on your state of mind, physical comfort and ability to breeze through
stressful situations, you’ll find yourself taking those few moments to relax
and will reap the benefit it has on your every day life.
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