Deep breathing
Deep breathing is the most basic relaxation exercise. By breathing slowly
and deeply from your abdomen (stomach), you can easily enter a deep state
of relaxation anywhere, at any time, with no special equipment or training.
All you need is practice. Here's how:
- Make yourself comfortable. You can either sit up straight in a chair
or lie down on your back. If you're lying down, make yourself comfortable
with a pillow under your head, and/or under your knees.
- Close your eyes. Rest your hands gently on your stomach so you can
feel your own breathing. Inhale deeply and slowly through your nose.
You should
feel your stomach expand as you breathe in. When you've breathed
in as much as you can, slowly breathe out through your mouth with your
lips
puckered. That helps slow your breathing down. Exhale until your
lungs feel empty.
- Continue to breathe in and out slowly and deeply. In through your
nose, then out through puckered lips. Remember that your stomach should
rise
and fall with each breath. Your shoulders and chest should barely
move at all.
- Count silently. If you'd like your breathing to be more rhythmic,
try counting silently to four slowly as you inhale and to four slowly
as
you exhale.
- Focus your mind on your breathing. If any thoughts or worries come
into your mind, gently put them aside and focus once again on your
breathing.
- Every time you breathe out, try to relax your body just
a little bit more. If you're aware of any part of your body that is particularly
tense,
focus especially on relaxing that part as you exhale.
- Continue to breathe
deeply and slowly for just a few minutes, or for as long as 20
minutes if you have the time. When you're ready to stop,
open your eyes slowly and remain still for a moment before resuming
your regular activities.
Practice this breathing technique regularly and you'll find that the
more you use it, the better it'll work for you. You can get the maximum
effect from relaxing with slow, deep, abdominal breathing every two
or three days for 10 to 20 minutes.
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