Deep Breathing With Paul

I have long touted the benefits of diaphragmatic breathing (belly breathing) but I felt like more than promoting it this time, I want to give you the basics of this very effective relaxation technique in audio.

I decided to do this in audio format so it is easier to follow along with.  It is kinda of hard to relax and concentrate on deep breathing while your scrolling up and down on your computer.  Here is a brief recap of my version of this breathing excercise.

1. Sit in a chair with your back straight, limbs relaxed, and preferably in a quiet room.
2. You’ll start with a mild neck stretch.  Lean your head to the right as if your ear was going to touch your shoulder.  Repeat this for the left side and also tilt your head forward (chin to chest) for several seconds.
3. Next relax.  Clear your mind and breath through your nose and out through your mouth.
4. Rub your hands together to create mild friction and heat.
5. Place one hand over your navel and place the other hand over the first hand.
6. Take deep breaths through your nose and out through your mouth.  Make sure to hold the breath for 2-4 seconds.  Repeat this 5-10 times.

You can do this excercise lying down and if you’re in public you can take away any of the steps you feel might bring unwanted attention.

For example, when I’m at work and feeling tense I sit up in my chair, relax, and breath deeply 3-4 times in between whatever tasks I’m taking care of at the time.  I do this every few minutes until I’ve calmed down once more.

The “private” version of this excercise is better of course because you can relax for longer, but deep breathing anywhere can be a great benefit when you’re feeling anxious.  This is all very basic I know, but the point is that deep, mindful, breathing is always a good first option for relaxation.

Sometimes we assume that we all need some magic pill or some kind of miracle to help us reduce our anxiety but keeping things basic can also prove useful some of the time.  And although this will not cure anxiety it will certainly help most people handle stress and anxiety more effectively.

Do you have a breathing excercise you use? Please share it in the comments section.