Breathing Techniques
Often, when we are stressed, our breathing becomes shallow or labored which then stresses our system even more, creating a vicious cycle that can leave us feeling fatigued, emotionally drawn out, or worse. We need oxygen, but most of us don’t understand how to breathe effectively; we are trusting our brains to just do this thing that will keep us alive and thriving. Unfortunately, our brains can be easily distracted and breathing starts to fall down the priority list. We take in enough oxygen to keep up basic functions, but not anywhere near the levels to thrive and engage with life’s challenges in an effective manner.
The first thing to understand is how we breathe, the mechanics of getting oxygen into our body and carbon dioxide out. In simple terms, when we inhale our ribs expand, diaphragm drops down creating a vacuum in our lungs pulling the oxygen in; to exhale, it all reverses and we expel the CO2. When we are in a heightened state of stress/anxiety, we tend to hold our breath or breathe really shallowly, so we don’t expel enough CO2 before inhaling more oxygen which increases the stress response in the body.
Breathing is controlled by our autonomic system, but sometimes it needs an assist. Below are some suggestions for techniques to increase oxygen/carbon dioxide exchange effectively - fancy way of saying we are going to teach you how to breathe better!
Let’s learn how to breathe!
There are lots of breathing “techniques” out there, some quite complicated or integrated into a yoga/meditation practice. I am just going to cover a few of the basics; once you master these you can move on to Kundalini yoga or other meditative breathing styles.
Belly Breathing
Sit or lie flat in a comfortable position. Put one hand on your belly, just below rib line and the other on your chest. Take a deep breath in through your nose and let your belly push your hand out. Breathe out through pursed lips as if you were whistling. Repeat belly breathing 3 to 10 times.
Deep Breathing
When we are in a state of stress or anxiety we take “deep breaths” to calm down. Unfortunately, we don’t fully exhale in between “deep breaths” which can cause hyperventilation. Sit or lie down comfortably. First, fully exhale, then take a long, slow deep breath in through your nose. Pause, then exhale slowly & completely through the mouth. Three or four cycles should be plenty to reset your stress response or lower your anxiety.
Box Breathing
This is excellent for increasing concentration/focus. Sit comfortably, feet on the ground. Exhale completely then inhale for the count of four, hold for the count of four, exhale for the count of four, hold for the count of four. Repeat cycle four times. Use this whenever you feel like your focus is drifting.
Extended Exhalation
Deepening your breath is interestingly tied to longer exhalation, which encourages deeper inhalation. Practice extending your exhalation by exhaling longer than inhaling; for example if you inhale to the count of 5, then exhale to the count of 7. Gradually increase the gap - up to four seconds unless you’ve had special training.