Table of contents:
- Lung breathing
- objective
- With lung breathing
- Process
- Diaphragmatic breathing exercise
- objective
- With diaphragmatic breathing
- Process
- Complete breathing: pulmonary and diaphragmatic
- objective
- Process
- Exhale
- objective
- Process
- Duration
- Overgeneralization
- objective
- Process
- Duration
- Focused attention on breathing
- Deep breathing to calm anxiety
- Area of application
Rating: 5 (1 vote) 3 comments By Ana M. Bastida de Miguel. Updated: January 31, 2018
The objective of breathing techniques is to facilitate voluntary control of breathing and automate this control so that it can be maintained even in situations of greatest anxiety or stress. Correct breathing habits are very important to provide the body with the oxygen necessary for proper functioning. If the amount of air that reaches the lungs is insufficient, the blood is not adequately purified and is loaded with toxic substances, so insufficiently oxygenated blood contributes to increasing states of anxiety and muscle fatigue, therefore, with exercises We intend to achieve, in addition to controlling our breathing, learning a good relaxation technique that will help usmaintain our psychosomatic state in optimal conditions to face the environment that surrounds us.
To do this, we will take the air very slowly through the nose and expel it, also very slowly, through the mouth while we try to listen to the sound emitted when expelling the air.
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- Diaphragmatic breathing exercise
- Complete breathing: pulmonary and diaphragmatic
- Exhale
- Overgeneralization
- Focused attention on breathing
- Deep breathing to calm anxiety
- Area of application
Lung breathing
objective
Learn to direct the inspired air to the upper part of the lungs.
With lung breathing
We take the air to the upper part of the lungs inhaling through the nose very slowly, we hold and expel through the mouth, also very slowly, while we listen to the sound as we expel it, we will try to keep the abdominal area from moving.
Process
Place one hand on the belly and the other on the chest so that the effects of each cycle of inspiration-expiration can be better perceived. Next, it is about directing the air that we breathe in towards the upper part of the lungs, which will make the hand placed on the chest rise, but without moving the one placed on the stomach or belly.
Diaphragmatic breathing exercise
objective
Learn to direct the inspired air towards the lower and middle part of the lungs. This is an essential breath since the diaphragm is considered as our second heart.
With diaphragmatic breathing
We bring the air to the abdominal area in the same way as before. In this case we will try to keep the thoracic area from moving.
Process
It is about directing the air towards the lower part, feeling how now it is the belly that swells with the entry of the air. This exercise tends to represent a certain difficulty at first, since it is the aspect of breathing that we use the least, but which is nevertheless fundamental and the most important. To achieve this we can try to help ourselves by swelling the belly, against clothing or against the hand placed on it, while we breathe in the air. It is important to indicate that the inspiration should not be forced but slow, it is not necessary to run when taking the air, it must be done very slowly while controlling its entrance through the nose until reaching its destination, in this way In addition to breathing properly, we will increase self-control.
Complete breathing: pulmonary and diaphragmatic
objective
Learn to take a full inspiration.
Process
It is about directing the air of each inspiration first to the belly area and then to the upper part of the lungs. It is important to mark 2 different times in inspiration, one to direct the air to the abdominal area and the other to the upper part of the lungs.
Exhale
objective
Learn to perform more complete and regular respiratory alternation (inspiration plus expiration).
Process
After inspiration, we will hold the inspired air for a few moments, to ensure that the gas exchange occurs correctly, and we will expel it slowly through the mouth, closing the lips enough so that a soft sound is produced when the air is expelled. With the help of the feedback that the noise produces, we can regulate their expiration, making it slow, slow and constant but never sudden.
Duration
It can be between 2−4 minutes. The exercise is repeated 3−4 times, with rest intervals of 2−3 minutes, therefore, the approximate time is between 15−20 minutes. The more times we practice, throughout the day, the better so that when we really need it we have the procedure perfectly controlled.
Overgeneralization
objective
Learn to use and generalize the control of breathing in different situations, both normal and anxious.
Process
It consists of repeating the breathing exercises several times throughout the day in different positions and situations in order to learn to use the technique in everyday conditions, both normal and adverse. For this we will change the position (sitting, standing, walking…), the activity (watching TV, driving, working…), the modality (eyes closed, eyes open) and the environmental conditions (noise, presence of others,…). It is important that the practice is generalized to the more situations the better, until you achieve your total control.
Duration
The more times and with the greater number of activities or situations we do it much better.
In addition, it is important that after each exercise cycle we analyze both the problems that may have arisen and the benefits detected. As with muscle relaxation, both the control and the benefits will increase with practice.
Focused attention on breathing
It is a very practical breathing technique. It consists of the person focusing their attention on their own breathing, allowing the natural and involuntary process of breathing to take place under total voluntary control, which usually causes the breath to become slower, deeper and more more controlled, providing all this a great psychosomatic benefit.
It is especially useful for dealing with internal and external anxiety or conflict situations.
Deep breathing to calm anxiety
It consists of adopting a respiratory pattern that implies, on the one hand, a deep inspiration, in 2nd place a period of air retention within the lungs (5−10 seconds) and in 3rd place a slow expiration.
This procedure allows you to achieve a state of relaxation quickly even if it is not a very deep state. Using this exercise we will be able to produce very important effects in a few minutes. It is very useful to face stressful situations and especially to reduce anxiety problems, allowing us to face the different situations that may arise but with much lower levels of anxiety, thus allowing our responses to be much more effective, adaptive and controlled by keeping our body in optimal oxygenation conditions.
Area of application
The application of relaxation techniques through slow and voluntary controlled breathing is very numerous. In all the problems whose base is anxiety (phobias, unjustified fears, irrational cognitive responses, school problems, confrontations with more or less complex situations…) stress problems and their repercussions for health (insomnia, headaches, tics, stuttering, control of aggressiveness, impulsivity, eating disorders, social or personal…) and, in general, in the face of any type of physical or psychological problem.
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to Relaxation techniques through breathing, we recommend that you enter our Meditation and relaxation category.
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