Breathing Technique Relieves Anxiety
Breathing technique is an integral part of many mind/body discipline like yoga, ta'i chi and meditation.
Proper breathing technique is probably the most powerful partner in alleviating symptoms of anxiety and stress in our lives.
Under anxiety episode, our breathing becomes shallow and fast in an attempt to be in control.
This type of shallow, chest breathing seems to aggravate our condition like adding fuel to the fire because it disrupts the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide and the result - it triggers a signal to produce more stress inducing hormone like adrenaline.
It activates 'fight or flight response' that tells our body to be prepared for incoming perceived danger and so we feel uptight, uneasy, irritable and our breathing freezes Diaphragmatic Breathing is Effective According to the study that was published by the Journal of American Medical Association (May 2000) found that slow diaphragmatic breathing technique is proven to be as effective in reducing anxiety as the popular antidepressant drug imipramine.
Diaphragmatic breathing is our natural and default way of breathing when we were born.
But as we grow older we unlearn how to breathe in this manner because of stress and anxiety.
Under stress and tension, we breath shallowly and from the upper chest.
During relaxation state, we tend to breath deeply and effortlessly from the diaphragm or abdomen.
Our diaphragm muscle is located under our ribs and above our stomach.
It is very beneficial to utilize this form of breathing in order to reap its calming effect.
Breathing Exercise This is a simple diaphragmatic exercise that helps to become more aware of the rising and falling of our abdomen.
1.
Sit or lie down.
Try to be at ease as possible.
Loosen tight clothing.
2.
Place your hand on your chest and one on your stomach.
3.
Slowly inhale through your nose.
4.
As you inhale, feel your stomach expand with your hand.
If your chest expands, focus on breathing with your diaphragm.
Your chest should have little or no movement.
5.
Exhale slowly through the mouth or through pursed lips (to slow down the exhalation of breath).
6.
Repeat the cycle as calm as you can Breathing Tips Initially, breathing exercise can make you feel dizzy because your body is not used to take rich amount of oxygen.
So try to sit or lie down within the first few weeks of practicing until your body has adjusted to this kind of breathing.
Prolonging the out-breath or exhalation relative to inhalation promotes relaxation and calmer state of mind.
When feeling agitated or anxious, deep breathing has always been advised but be careful not to make longer inhalation or in-breath instead.
Prolonging the inhalation compared to exhalation can bring more anxious state.
Proper breathing technique is probably the most powerful partner in alleviating symptoms of anxiety and stress in our lives.
Under anxiety episode, our breathing becomes shallow and fast in an attempt to be in control.
This type of shallow, chest breathing seems to aggravate our condition like adding fuel to the fire because it disrupts the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide and the result - it triggers a signal to produce more stress inducing hormone like adrenaline.
It activates 'fight or flight response' that tells our body to be prepared for incoming perceived danger and so we feel uptight, uneasy, irritable and our breathing freezes Diaphragmatic Breathing is Effective According to the study that was published by the Journal of American Medical Association (May 2000) found that slow diaphragmatic breathing technique is proven to be as effective in reducing anxiety as the popular antidepressant drug imipramine.
Diaphragmatic breathing is our natural and default way of breathing when we were born.
But as we grow older we unlearn how to breathe in this manner because of stress and anxiety.
Under stress and tension, we breath shallowly and from the upper chest.
During relaxation state, we tend to breath deeply and effortlessly from the diaphragm or abdomen.
Our diaphragm muscle is located under our ribs and above our stomach.
It is very beneficial to utilize this form of breathing in order to reap its calming effect.
Breathing Exercise This is a simple diaphragmatic exercise that helps to become more aware of the rising and falling of our abdomen.
1.
Sit or lie down.
Try to be at ease as possible.
Loosen tight clothing.
2.
Place your hand on your chest and one on your stomach.
3.
Slowly inhale through your nose.
4.
As you inhale, feel your stomach expand with your hand.
If your chest expands, focus on breathing with your diaphragm.
Your chest should have little or no movement.
5.
Exhale slowly through the mouth or through pursed lips (to slow down the exhalation of breath).
6.
Repeat the cycle as calm as you can Breathing Tips Initially, breathing exercise can make you feel dizzy because your body is not used to take rich amount of oxygen.
So try to sit or lie down within the first few weeks of practicing until your body has adjusted to this kind of breathing.
Prolonging the out-breath or exhalation relative to inhalation promotes relaxation and calmer state of mind.
When feeling agitated or anxious, deep breathing has always been advised but be careful not to make longer inhalation or in-breath instead.
Prolonging the inhalation compared to exhalation can bring more anxious state.