Breathing for Relaxation |
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Some simple breathing exercises, all based on controlled breathing.
Some are related to the PMR exercise but shorter.
It's probably worth trying them all to see which works best.
Focussed
breathing
Zen
breathing
Diaphragm
control
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Why it
works:
Breathing control works because of the tie-up between mind and
body. When you're overanxious, your upper chest tends to take over
breathing from your diaphragm just as it does when you run. Body and
mind are so interlinked that if your body is behaving like everything's
cool, your mind starts assuming everything must be and you wind down.
Practical implication; controlling your breathing, and particularly
the balance between chest and diaphragm breathing, has an impact on
your mental state. Slow, steady breathing reduces arousal levels;
rapid, chest-dominated breathing raises physiological and mental arousal
levels. |
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1: Focussed
breathing (for similar exercises, see The
Mental Game Plan) |
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Find a comfortable place to
sit. This also works standing up, but practice sitting before you
stand...
Settle comfortably, breathing normally for a few moments, then go
into the routine... |
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Breathe in through your nose,
over about 2-3 seconds |
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Hold for a few seconds |
Variation:
Transfer your lungful of air 'downward' to your diaphragm (collapse
your chest and let your stomach stick out, is what this feels like) |
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Breathe out slowly over about
five seconds, feeling youself relax as you do so. |
Variation:
Couple the outward breath with a 'cue
word' such as 'smooth' or 'easy... easy.. easy...'. This makes
it easier to recall the feeling at short notice, by using the cue
word. |
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Carry on breathing in the
same way for about half a dozen cycles. |
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2. Zen breathing |
Based on Herrigel's
book where breathing is almost a discipline, and regarded (as
in many martial arts) as a cornerstone of power and control. |
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Breathe in quickly through
the mouth |
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Transfer your lungful of air
'downward' to your diaphragm |
(See the variation
in the exercise above) |
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Breathe out slowly - over
many seconds, through the nose. |
To slow breathing
down, the student may hum as the breath is expelled. |
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Repeat ad infinitum |
Herrigel reports
breathing exercise lasting half an hour or more in Zen training. |
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3. Diaphragm
control |
Your diaphragm is that bit
just under your rib cage (at least, the one I'm talking about is).
It helps your lungs work by going up and down. Controlling it is an
important breathing control technique. This exercise is good for learners,
because you literally feel yourself breathe (that's tactile
feedback, by the way; powerful stuff). |
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Find somewhere to sit or stand
comfortably |
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Place both hands on your stomach,
just below your ribs, with the left and right middle fingers just
touching. |
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Breathe regularly so that
your fingetips move apart as you breathe in, and touch again as you
breathe out. |
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