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Your breathing is a reflection of your thoughts and feelings
http://www.calmclinic.com/anxiety/tr...hing-exercises
Have you ever noticed that the way you breath is a reflection of your thoughts and emotions? Most people don’t realize this, but it’s true. And it’s something you can see for yourself quite easily, too. It’s just a matter of being attentive to your breathing. This is actually very important, since there are several strategies you can use to adjust your mood by adjusting your breathings.
Whenever you’re feeling restless, scared, confused or otherwise stressed, your breathing will be rapid and shallow, each and every time. It’s just an involuntary reaction and there’s nothing you can do about it. But there is much you can do to reverse the process.
Your goal should be breathing from your abdomen, deeply and slowly, not just when you’re doing the following exercises but in your daily routine as will. Because when your breathing stabilizes, so does your mood. And that’s when you feel calm, relaxed, easy-going, peaceful and content.
Now, let’s look at some breathing techniques that you should start using to manage your feelings of panic and anxiety whenever they assault you.
Exercise 1: Stop Panic by Rebreathing back into your senses
What is it good for: This technique is especially useful for patients suffering from Panic Disorder, as well as patients who hyperventilate. If you have a tendency to get so agitated you can’t even think straight let alone recall the more complex exercises in this article, you can still use rebreathing to get back into your normal senses really quick.
How it works: Rebreathing is meant to increase your CO2 levels with the purpose of countering the symptoms caused by excessive oxygen intake. Ultimately, the idea is getting your oxygen levels back to normal.
How to do it: You can do rebreathing either by cupping your hands over your mouth and breathing into them, or by breathing into a paper bag. You should feel improvements in as little as one minute.
Exercise 2: Reduce anxiousness with Deep breathing relaxation
What is it good for: when you learn how to perform deep breathing relaxation, it will become one of your best allies in your on-going struggle against anxiety disorder. The best thing about this technique is that you can do it anywhere, anytime, without anyone really noticing. You should practice deep breathing regularly and actually make it a part of your daily routine!
How it works: When you induce deep breathing with this exercise, you will command your body to just let go of tension. Your fast rate will slow down, blood pressure will lower and sweating will be reduced. Your body processes will go back to normal levels, which will translate in improved digestion and stabilized energy levels. Isn’t it amazing that so many benefits can be achieved just by focusing on your breath?
How to do it: To perform deep breathing relaxation, breathe in from your nose and out from your mouth. You want to make at least 10 breath cycles during this exercise, and each in/out cycle should be a little longer than the last. This isn’t as much about controlling your breathing as it’s about just watching it. If you try to force your breath to slow down, that will probably stress you out. But if you gently focus on your breathing and think of nothing else, it will naturally become deeper and slower. Try it!
Exercise 3: Advanced Inhale-Hold-Exhale Deep Breathing.
What is it good for: this is similar to Exercise 2, except it calls for proper posture and a bit more of attention. Doing this exercise will not only help slow down your body, but it will also contribute to quiet down your mind.
How it works: Whereas the previous exercise is something you can do anywhere and anytime, this exercise is more akin to traditional meditation. For best results, you want to sit in a comfortable place where you can relax without being disturbed for 15-30 minutes.
How to do it: For this exercise, you should sit down in a relaxing environment. You can sit anyway you feel comfortable, just as long as your back remains straight. Your hands should be resting in your lap or your thighs. Your jaw should be relaxed and your lips lightly pursed, with the tip of your tongue gently pressing on the top of your mouth. If you usually meditate, you should be quite familiar with this kind of posture.
For this exercise, you will be watching your heartbeat to keep a good rhythm. You will do at least 10 breath cycles, and each cycle will be comprised of three stages:
Inhale, count 5 heartbeats
Hold breath, count 7 heartbeats
Exhale, count 9 heartbeats
That’s all there is to it! With each breath cycle, your heart rate will slow down, making you feel a bit more relaxed. At the same time, your breathing will also run deeper and slower, meaning that each breath cycle will be a little longer than the last. Don’t overthink though. Just keep watching your breathing and counting your heartbeats, and let yourself calm down. Try it!
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