Relaxation and breathing

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Relaxation

There are many ways to relax deeply. A simple method is described below. This is about total mental and physical relaxation; NOT drinking alcohol, smoking or watching television, all of which will increase stress, so are not really relaxation at all.

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Find a comfortable place to lie or sit where you will not be disturbed.

Looking in front of you, notice three things (one at a time) that you see. Go slowly, pausing for a moment on each. It is preferable that they be small things, such as a spot on the wall, a door knob, the corner of a picture frame, etc. Some people like to name the items as they look at them – “I see the hinge on the door frame”. (If you don’t know the name for the thing, try “I see that thing over there.”).

Now turn your attention to your hearing and notice, one by one, three things that you hear. (You will notice that this allows you to incorporate sounds that occur in the environment rather than being distracted by them.

Make yourself aware of what you are feeling. Notice three things that you can feel. Again, go slowly from one to the next. It’s useful to use sensations that normally are outside of your awareness, such as the feeling of your shoes, the weight of your wrist watch, or the texture of your shirt.

Continue this using two sights, then two sounds and then two feelings. In the same manner, continue (slowly) with one of each. Then close your eyes.

Bring an image into your mind. Don’t work too hard at this. You can make an image or simply take what comes. It may be a point of light, it may be a beautiful beach, or it could be someone you know. If something comes to you just use it. If nothing comes, feel free to “put something there”. Give it a name.

Pause and let a sound come into your awareness or generate one and name it. Although this is technically the internal part, if you should hear a sound outside or in the room with you, it’s OK to use that. Remember that the idea is to incorporate things that you experience rather than being distracted by them.

Next, become aware of a feeling and name it. It’s preferable to do this internally – use your imagination. (I feel the warmth of the summer sun on my arms) However, as with the auditory, if you actually have a physical sensation that gets your attention, use that.

Repeat the process with two images, then two sounds, then two feelings. Repeat the cycle once again using three images, three sounds, and three feelings.

More on this

This relaxing breathing technique is designed to be used to help reduce the symptoms of an anxiety panic attack, but is also useful as part of a daily routine.

The average respiration rate is between 12 and 14 times a minutes, but with correct diaphragmatic breathing we are aiming for 9-11 breaths per minute.

Often, the fast shallow breathing that many of us have means that we hyperventilate. This reduces the carbon monoxide in our bloodstream, which in turn causes the carotid artery to our brain to restrict and trigger feelings of panic, stress and anxiety as levels of oxygen to our brain plummet. In effect your body is anchored by this physiological change to produce adrenaline.

You can develop a more natural and healthier way of breathing very easily, but to build this in as a regular habit you have to make the changes slowly. It will feel unfamiliar, perhaps even uncomfortable at first, but you will gradually develop a good natural rhythm. You might find that you get the sensation of wanting to yawn when you inhale very deeply, as if you are not getting enough air. This is your body getting used to normal levels of oxygen again. It is a sign that you have been starving your body of oxygen for a long time now.

  1. Exhale completely, push your abdomen right in so that your diaphragm expels all the air from your lungs.
  2. Inhale slowly by expanding your abdomen. Bring air into your body through your nose. The hair follicles in your noise gather dust and other debris from the air and prevent them entering your lungs.
  3. Continue inhaling and let your chest follow your abdomen and begin to expand. Allow your shoulders to rise a little. Imagine the fresh new air filling your head with energy.
  4. Hold your breath for a few seconds as long as your are comfortable. At no point allow this breathing exercise to feel uncomfortable or forced.
  5. Allow your shoulders to drop and your chest to contract and begin expelling the air from your lungs. Breathe air out through your mouth. Imagine all the stale, old, energy-depleted air leaving your body.
  6. Continue exhaling and let your abdomen push in.

Do these deep breaths at least 10 times and repeat this relaxing breathing cycle throughout the day (at least twice) when you have a few spare moments.

As you develop this relaxing breathing pattern you will find that you will be able to hold your breath for longer and your respiration rate will start to slow.

The movement of your chest and abdomen will also help the movement of fluids through your lymphatic system which will in turn help your body to expel toxins and raise your energy levels.

After about three weeks your mind will start to build this in as a regular habit and the effort required to maintain it will fall away.

The diaphragmatic breathing exercise described here with the abdomen and chest slightly out of synchronisation, one following slightly behind the other, is the natural way that babies breathe. This method of breathing is also taught in the martial arts.

Many people in Europe and North America breath unhealthily. Their breaths are very shallow and only use 30-40% of their lung capacity for most of their lives. If you are one of those people then this page is for you.

Do these deep breaths at least 10 times and repeat throughout the day (at least twice) when you have a few moments to relax and refocus.

As you develop this diaphragmatic breathing pattern you will find that you will be able to hold your breath for longer and your respiration rate will start to slow.

Unfortunately, we actually sustain this type of breathing over years and years of our life.

Don’t try to deliberately slow down your breathing to counteract this. Follow the exercise above to breath more deeply and eventually your breathing rate will slow in a natural way.

Autogenic Conditioning is a relaxation technique designed to reduce stress and anxiety

You can repeat this exercise as often as you wish. Perhaps alternate it with other relaxation exercises. It is best practiced at the start or end of the day when you are most open to suggestion.

  1. Sit down and close your eyes
  2. Spend a few moments to clear your thoughts and allow yourself to relax
  3. Breathe deeply. Count down from 50 to 1 with each breath out.
  4. Let your body go completely limp.
  5. When you reach 1, keep repeating the number 1 with each breath.
  6. Start talking to the various parts of your body to encourage them to relax.
  7. Next begin to relax your mind, let all the thoughts evaporate away.
  8. Now affirm your goal, which is to be completely anxiety free and motivated to create a better life.
  9. Visualize this happening. Imagine events in your future life, completely free of anxiety.