How to control your body with proper breathing?

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

Breathing is directly related to the work and state of the nervous system. This is why breathing exercises to calm the nerves are so common and effective. Many of these form the basis of yoga breathing practices. But you do not need to have special knowledge to learn how to breathe correctly, getting rid of stress, insomnia and overexertion.

What is breathing for relaxation?

The basis of any breathing exercises will be a strictly defined rhythm. You need to know that the effect of exercise on the body changes from the frequency and speed, depth of breath, and the duration of the periods of holding the breath. Starting to breathe quickly, shallowly, inhaling small doses of oxygen, you will not achieve tranquility. On the contrary, the nervous system will receive an incentive to work harder.

Breathing for relaxation

Any method of breathing to help you calm down relies on deep, measured breathing. With the help of it, not only the absolute filling of the lungs with air occurs, but also the enrichment with oxygen of all tissues and cells of the body. It helps to normalize blood pressure, relieves muscle tension, stimulates proper brain function, and helps the nervous system to relax.

The correct rhythm when performing breathing exercises for calming is achieved by certain intervals of holding the breath, both before and after exhalation. It is important to give the body the opportunity to adapt between the exercises performed, which are different in their techniques and require a certain skill.

Respiratory gymnastics is divided into four options:

- filling the upper part of the lungs with oxygen, breaths are carried out due to the movement of the collarbones;

- breathing with the chest, when there is "opening" and "compression" of the ribs;

- inhale with the help of the abdomen - "abdominal breathing"; thanks to such inhalation and exhalation, the diaphragm moves, the internal organs are massaged, and the oxygen saturation of the blood increases;

- undulating breathing, when all three indicated areas are involved.

Based on these options for inhaling and exhaling, additional breathing techniques are built to calm the nerves and strengthen the nervous system.

Exercise rules to calm the nerves

Choosing simple breathing exercises for yourself to calm down, it is worth remembering the basic rules that are involved in any technique. Failure to comply with such rules will lead to the lack of the desired result.

Any breathing exercises should be performed either standing or lying down, so that the back is absolutely straight.

It is better to breathe with closed eyes, resorting to the technique of meditation, presenting pleasant images and landscapes.

It is important to fully focus on the process of inhaling and exhaling, which at first will need to be consciously controlled. Gradually, conscious control will no longer be necessary, however, concentration should still be on the breathing process.

It is necessary not only to clear the mind of negative thoughts, but also to completely relax all muscles. Relaxation should flow smoothly from the tips of the toes up. Particular attention should be paid to the shoulders, neck and face. In these places, the muscles experience significant tension.

You need to do exercises to calm the nerves 5-10 times. Do not overexert yourself. Before moving on to the next technique, it is worth waiting a while to allow the body to adapt.

In the process of inhaling, you need to imagine how the whole body, along with oxygen, is filled with new clean energy and tranquility. On exhalation, it is necessary to "push out" the accumulated tension inside yourself.

In some cases, it will be useful to repeat to yourself in the process of breathing exercises the settings: "I am calm," "I am calm," "I am relaxing," "I am calm," and so on. You should avoid the particle "not" in the formulations and generally negative context, as well as the future tense, for example, "I am not worried", "I will soon calm down."

Simple breathing exercises

The first set of techniques is based on breathing through the nose. Exercise should begin with a full exhalation.

Complex breathing

Breathing in the stomach. With a deep breath, the belly "inflates", with a leisurely exhalation, it falls off. Inhalation is carried out for 3-4 seconds, then you need to hold your breath for 2 seconds, exhale for 4-5 seconds. The interval between breaths is 2-3 seconds.

Chest breathing. On inhalation, the ribs “open”, on exhalation, they “shrink”. The lead time is the same as in the first stage.

Breathing with the collarbones. On inhalation, the collarbones rise, on exhalation, they fall. The intervals and execution time are the same.

Wavelike breathing. Inhalation goes from bottom to top: abdomen, chest, collarbones. Exhale - from top to bottom: collarbones, chest, abdomen. The final stage should be carried out especially measuredly.

Breathing to activate the cerebral hemispheres

The technique is carried out using alternate clamping of the nostrils. Only the right hand is involved. The thumb is applied to the right nostril, the little finger to the left. Calm inhalation and full exhalation are performed alternately on one side of the nose. With a clamped right nostril, the left hemisphere is stimulated, with a clamped left, the right.

"Sleepy" breathing

It allows you not only to relax, but also to overcome insomnia.

The technique of performing the exercise to calm the nerves is very simple: unhurried, light breaths in and out are performed for 5 minutes, with concentration on the breathing process, listening to the inner sensations. For this exercise to be more effective, place your palms in the solar plexus area. Breathing is required both in the stomach and in the chest.

To relieve stress

It is necessary to take a short, relatively deep breath. Then hold your breath for 4 seconds and exhale fully, deeply and for a long time. This is followed by a break of 5 seconds before the next filling of the lungs with oxygen.

Relaxing and mind-clearing breath

In this breathing technique, the arms are again involved. It is necessary to put one palm to the forehead and the other to the back of the head. This position will help increase blood flow in these lobes of the head, helping to clear the mind and mind of anxiety, tension, opening up new ways of dealing with stress. Without taking away the palms, measured inhalation and exhalation are made with a short breath holding between them.

Mind-Relaxing Breathing

The second complex is based on inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth. It is also necessary to start it with a full exhalation.

First exercise

After taking a full breath, you need to make an intensified, deep exhalation through tightly compressed lips. In this case, the exhalation is done in portions, the air is "pushed out" from the inside.

Exercise two

Here you need to induce an "artificial" yawning.

Opening your mouth as wide as possible so that you feel tension in the lower jaw, you should take a smooth breath, feeling the lungs fill with air. Hold your breath for 2 seconds, and then exhale slowly and slowly.

Third exercise

Taking a full breath without holding the breath, air is released through the open mouth. In this case, the lips are folded in a circle. The exhalation is done in portions, in jerks. The initial stage of exhalation is the longest, and the air gradually leaving the lungs should become less and less. After completion, you should wait 5-10 seconds and repeat the breathing exercise again.

By devoting 5-10 minutes a day to breathing exercises to calm down, you can normalize the functioning of the nervous system, while saturating the brain and the entire body with oxygen. This will help not only fight "nerves" and stress, but also contribute to the normalization of mood, clarity of consciousness and relieve many health problems.