“Remember to breathe” is something oft recommended by therapists, yogis, psych nurses, and here’s a detailed page from a public health medical site. The BC Health Guide describes, step-by-step, three breathing techniques sure to lower your stress response. Cortisol, adrenaline, acetylcholine, and other neurochemicals are released in panic and severe stress states. Longer exposure contributes to depression, cardiovascular disease and stress effects on systems throughout the body.
Practice a relaxation exercise (like these three) to actively reduce stress when you need it. Breathe; it’s the easiest wellness self-care of all.
[step five of five of roll breathing]… Practise breathing in and out in this manner for 3 to 5 minutes. Notice that the movement of your abdomen and chest is like rolling waves rising and falling in a rhythmic motion.
Practise roll breathing daily for several weeks until you can do it almost anywhere, providing you with an instant relaxation tool any time you need one.
Learn more: Breathing exercises for relaxation
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From Psych Central's World of Psychology:
Karate Breathing - World of Psychology (2/20/2007)
4 Comments to
“Breathe”
Yes, breathing is important. But I believe that most studies show that it is slow breathing, not deep breathing, that is helpful. Deep breathing, is actually hyperventilation.
http://www.mja.com.au/public/mentalhealth/articles/andrews/andrews.html
But you will see many references to the miracle cure of deep breathing. To focus the attention on the breathing, just to quietly notice the breath coming in and out, and allowing it to slow down naturally is a better technique than anything that focuses on taking in a lot of air.
This is perhaps a subtle difference, but it depends entirely on how the breathing is taught, as to what sort of effect we get. Remember someone who is anxious is probably over breathing already, too fast, too much. So a Buddhist sort of calm attention to letting go of the breathing and allowing it to slow will be more effective.
Greg R
My physiotherapist who is also my yoga teacher sain to breathe normally and then breath out twice a slong as in. Doing this for 15minutes 3 times a day has been shown by UK research to reduce raised blood pressure, I believe.
Apparently this type of breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system bringing about a balance between the sympathetic and the parasympathetic. Very calming.
jeisea
My physiotherapist who is also my yoga teacher sain to breathe normally and then breath out twice a slong as in. Doing this for 15minutes 3 times a day has been shown by UK research to reduce raised blood pressure, I believe.
Apparently this type of breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system bringing about a balance between the sympathetic and the parasympathetic. Very calming.
jeisea
Good post to remind us of a very important practice we don’t always appreciate enough…
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Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 19 Feb 2007
