Stress is typically a cause for anxiety attacks that cause imbalanced breathing patterns. Some medical conditions, such as asthma, can have the same effect on your breathing, so it is best to know control your breath, so you can keep your body and mind in harmony. A few deep breathing relaxation exercises can help steady you in almost any situation, and once you are relaxed, you can focus intently on the issue at hand.
Breathe Deeply
Any breathing technique has an objective to give you fully developed lung capacity. When you learn control your breaths, you can better take control over your body's reaction and relieve stress. You should always inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. That is how you should properly take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide from the body.
One exercise is to sit straight up in a comfortable position on the floor or in a chair. Put one hand on your abdomen and the other on your chest. Breathing through your nose deeply, the hand on your stomach should begin to rise. That is because you are taking in large amounts of oxygen into your lungs, so they are expanding and being exercised as well. When you exhale through your mouth, make sure you push all of the air out. In doing that, you may feel like your abdomen muscles are tightening since you are working hard to expel your breaths. Make sure you do the entire process fairly slowly, so you train your lungs and muscles on handle deep breaths to calm yourself down when necessary. Continue the deep breathing exercise for about five minutes at least twice a day.
Relax the Body and Mind
When you are in a state of stress or panic, the only functional way to calm yourself down is to take long, deep breaths. To do this, you need to put yourself in a place of Zen or comfort and quietness. Find a comfortable spot to lie down that gives your body support. Place pillows under your head and knees to get the blood circulation flowing steadily, since your blood pressure has risen due to stress. Close your eyes, and begin the exercise.
First, take a slow and deep breath through your nose to begin steadying your breathing. Hold the breath for five seconds, and then slowly release through your mouth. Make sure your lips are in a puckering position so you are helping your self push the air out rather than letting it seep out from your wide-open mouth. Take another deep breath, but this time point your toes towards your upper body, and feel the pull in your hamstrings. You do not need to hold that breath, but when you release it, relax your legs and toes back to their original state. Repeat this process for 5 to 10 minutes whenever you feel stressed or to simply relax yourself when needed.
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