As human beings, we tend to make things harder than they have to be. Our big brains frequently get us in hot water once we take shortcuts and ignore what is most important to us. Take for instance the recent increase in disabling mental illness from the U.S.. At last count, over 40 million American adults, or about 18 percent of the populace, had an anxiety disorder.
Be aware
With a of lifetime prevalence of almost one-third, some specialists believe U.S.. One thing is for sure, however, the tablets are not working! According to current pharmaceutical data, more than 20 percent of U.S. 1 in 5) are on behavioral meds. This brings us back to our opening assertion, i.e., we make things harder than they have to be! Overworked, underpaid, stressed-out, and feeling the strain? There are loads of approaches to find calm in a hectic world which don’t involve prescription pills.
Among the very best choices is to do what you’re doing right now. No, we do not mean reading. We’re speaking, of course, about breathing. The earliest relaxation technique known to man contains simply taking a breath and expelling the air in a controlled way. When we are nervous, angry, or anxious about anything, someone always instructs us to take a deep breath.
Why is this?
Because even though we take them every 3 to 5 minutes, shallow gasps in the upper torso don’t deliver much air. When we breathe deeply from the abdomen, however, we take in more oxygen, which will help improve body and mind functioning. Don’t believe us? Well, take a few deep breaths . Now, what did you notice? Do you feel more awake, more alert, a bit more energetic? That’s the oxygen on the job.
Now, imagine you spent ten to twenty minutes breathing in a slow, controlled manner every day. Not only would your mind be clearer and better able to concentrate, but your body would also unwind as stress hormones dissipated. There’s even evidence that controlled breathing can lower blood pressure and decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease. And of course the fact that unchecked stress can weaken the immune system, making us more vulnerable to colds and other common disorders. But since we can not possibly avoid all of the myriad sources of stress in our lives, we have to find a way to manage them in a healthy, productive manner. With that in mind, here are a couple of simple breathing methods that may help you relax in a couple of minutes.
How to do it
Sit comfortably with your spine straight. Place one hand on your stomach and the other hand on your chest. Take a deep breath in through your nose. As your diaphragm descends, the hand on your stomach should rise, while the hand on your chest should move very little. Exhale slowly through your mouth, pushing out as much air as possible as you squeeze your abdominal muscles. Each inhalation and exhalation should be slow and steady, lasting an average of 10 minutes from beginning to end.
The aim is to complete at least ten full minutes of deep abdominal breathing every day. If you’ve got a difficult time breathing in a seated position at the beginning, you can lie on the ground and practice the method before sitting up. When to do it: Abdominal breathing is potentially the most important deep breathing technique as it teaches us breathe in another way. Those who have never tried it tend to be surprised by exactly how hard it’s to breath in and out of the abdomen with deep, slow breaths, in comparison to taking quick, shallow ones out of the upper chest.
Keep in mind
Because it delivers a good deal of oxygen in a short time period, abdominal breathing gives us energy and helps improve concentration. Because of this, it’s an extremely common relaxation technique for pupils to employ prior to an exam. Not only does this help them unwind following an abysmal cram session, in addition, it can help reestablish their tired minds. How to do it: One of the reasons Americans love massages is the fact that we often hold a whole lot of our tension in our muscles.
Back issues, muscle spasms, general aches and pains, and even severe injuries are all common signs of the unhealthy habit. We can address the problem with a technique that combines deep breathing with muscle tension and relaxation. Here’s how to do it. Dressed in loose, comfortable clothing, have a chair in a quiet location. Remove your shoes and start to breath in and out with slow, deep breaths. Once relaxed, close your eyes and concentrate on tensing then relaxing a particular muscle for a couple of seconds at a time.
Remember
Most beginners start with one of the feet or hands, then proceed to other sore or overworked places. As you progress, you’ll wish to stressed specific muscles somewhat harder for at least ten minutes at a time. Although not the focus of the technique, your breathing should stay deep and slow throughout. For many newcomers, it’s helpful to count breaths while tensing and relaxing each muscle.
Experts recommend inhaling three to five times through the nose while the muscles are tensed, then exhaling three to five times throughout the mouth upon discharge. When to do it: While it’s true that seasoned practitioners can complete an effective progressive relaxation session just about everywhere – in a desk, at home, even on the street -many tyros need a quiet area where they can relax and concentrate on each muscle.
Additionally it is important to remember that tensing muscles too hard or overly long may lead to dizziness, which in not the target of the technique. So in the event that you encounter this unpleasant side effect, you’re pushing yourself too hard. Slow down and bear in mind that comfort, not lightheadedness is the aim of progressive relaxation.
How to do it
Like many yoga methods, equivalent breathing is designed to calm the body and focus the mind. Practiced by both novices and yogis alike, it starts in a comfy, cross-legged seated posture like sukhasana. You must then close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing. Do not change anything in the beginning, but only observe your natural breathing rhythm. Because the majority of us take quick, shallow breaths that aren’t conducive to comfort during our waking hours, chances are you must slow down your breathing a bit.
A good guideline is to count to four as you inhale and four as you exhale. You may change this period based upon your individual needs, just make certain to breath in and out for equal lengths of time.
When to do it
You do not need to maintain a yoga studio to practice pranayama, that’s the science and art of controlled breathing . In actuality, there are more than 50 pranayama breathing methods and forms, including sama vritti. Praised by medical professionals for its stress-relieving benefits, equivalent breathing is particularly effective before bedtime. What’s the best means to do precisely that? We start by shutting our eyes, breathing deeply in and out, and focusing on positive images to replace the downsides one we’re bombarded with on a daily basis.
Final note
For beginners, it’s often useful to listen to some soothing recording, such as nature sounds, to assist the anodyne pictures come more freely. When to do itAnywhere you can shut your eyes and block out the world for awhile. All the breathing techniques we’ve discussed today can be used to invoke the relaxation response. The ultimate objective of controlled breathing, this natural state of deep rest helps us cope with stress and anxiety in a wholesome way. Compared to tablets, it provides consistent results without the risk of dependence and other undesirable side effects. And all you’ve got to do is breathe!
