Calming through Breathing
February 7, 2009 by Vauna Beauvais
- Breathing, Calms
Our brains need a constant supply of clean, oxygen-rich blood for clear thinking, and our muscles need it for vitality. Having breathing skills enables you to alter your state (e.g. panic/ anxiety) and change unwanted mood.
Breathing exercises are about balancing the amount of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the system.
Sometimes people think that they always need to breathe deeply and so they take large in-breaths. Doing this, however, increases the oxygen to carbon dioxide ratio, and actually makes you more aroused and it can increase anxiety.
So, if you are feeling anxious or panicky, you need to make your in-breaths moderate and your out-breaths as long and slow as possible. If, however, you are tired, lethargic, or depressed, then you do need extra oxygen. You, therefore, have large and long in-breaths and moderate out-breaths. The technique below is about using breathing to calm, when feeling anxious, panicky or upset.
N.B. Some people can experience dizziness when they first begin using breathing exercises. This is because your body isn’t used to the richer supply of oxygen. Please ensure, therefore that you are well supported when standing or sitting. If lying down, please get up gently and ensure you are steady before moving around. If you experience prolonged dizziness, please consult your GP.
- Feeling Chaotic? Breathing therapy gets you grounded
Breathing Exercise
- Find a comfortable place to sit (or stand while supported by a wall).
- Take a few minutes to focus on the scene that is contributing to you feeling agitated or upset.
- Hear a voice in your head shout, “STOP!”
- Drop your shoulders and breathe in through your nose, slowly, until lungs feel full.
- Raise up shoulders and continue taking breath in until lungs are full.
- Let the air out very slowly through the mouth.
- Breathe in again quite quickly, but taking in a lot of air.
- Breathe out slowly - really lengthen your exhalation.
- Breathe in again quite quickly, yet taking in a lot of air. Hold the breath and remember the unpleasant scene from step 2.
- Breathe out very slowly once again, this time hearing the voice in your head say, “LETTING GO…..LETTING GO….letting go………go……..gone………”
- Let go of tension in your chest, in your stomach.
- Focus on the scene of you letting it all go.
- Let your arms and legs relax.
- Release all tension in the jaw and forehead.
- Direct your attention to the noises outside of you, i.e. in the room, or outside of the room.
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