by admin
Relaxation Through Regulating Breath
January 22, 2010 in Body, YH's Blog by admin
Try using a relaxation exercise if you’re feeling stress, anxiety, or anger.
Thoughts and feelings which create fear can initiate the fight or flight response in all of us. A potential threat (ex: seeing a spider in front of you) can cause a chemical reaction in our bodies (release of adrenaline). The release of adrenaline can cause an immediate increase in heart rate and breathing, which then causes the release of even MORE adrenaline!
Even small amounts of stress we are unaware of can release stimulating chemicals.
What can we do when our bodies start to “take over”? It’s neat, we can “trick” our bodies into a calm state (similar to just waking up in the morning) and even out of a fight or flight response.
We do this by slowing our breathing down (this is in our control), which in turn slows our heart rate, which STOPS the release of our natural stimulants! Our body is fooled out of what it thought was a dangerous situation.
Here’s a simple Breathing Technique:
It’s called TRIANGLE BREATHING.
Inhale for 3 SLOW seconds
HOLD IT for 3 SLOW seconds
Exhale completely for 3 SLOW seconds.
Repeat 3 times.
It’s easy to remember because a triangle has three sides, and each step involves the number 3.
YH’s note:
1.You can add the slow counts to as long as you can ( for example 8 counts then gradually you move to 30 for example) but all with the same counts for Inhale, hold and Exhale. This is also a good exercise to collect chi/prana.
2. The get optimum results, you better do stomach breathing,meaning you move your stomach out and in not your chest while inhaling and exhaling.
3. To exhale and inhale you can do so through nostrils.
