The Take a Zen Break post included a link about the Science of Breath, which led me to this week’s post-exploring different
breathing techniques and figuring out what works best in what situations.
Breathing is an integral part of healing and it’s been
discussed in various forms for thousands of years. If you’ve had experience
with natural child birth, yoga, Qigong, relaxation, or meditation, you know
that the type of breathing can very and can result in physiological changes
that make you feel more relaxed, lessen pain and anxiety considerably, and even
lower blood pressure.
Watch this short video on How breathing works
Start off by noticing your breath. Is it shallow or are
you breathing deeply from the stomach area? How do you feel?
Try a “ square breathing” technique to relax. For the
count of four each, inhale, hold, exhale, hold. Use the chart to remind you.
For different breathing techniques, check out the
following links:
• Breathing: Three Exercises Dr. Andrew Weil provides
three types of breathing exercises -Stimulating Breath, 4-7-8 or relaxing
breath and Breath Counting. He provides easy to follow descriptions.
• Years ago, I received a “loon clock,” which “chimes
every hour. When I hear that, it’s a good reminder to take a moment and
breathe. Just about anything can serve as the reminder to breathe-ringing
phone, In our techie age, there are now apps to help us to remember to take a
moment and truly breathe. If you need this type of reminder, there are plenty
of free ones available on-line such as Mindfulness Bell.
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