The best way to calm down in a disturbing situation is to do three simple breathing exercises. But first you need to work out in a calm state, advises psychologist and yoga teacher Alyssa Yo.
As a practicing psychologist, I often see people struggling with anxiety. In addition, some of my friends and relatives admit that they often experience anxiety. Yes, and I myself have often had to deal with disturbing thoughts and feelings.
There is a lot of information on how to overcome anxiety and better control your emotions, but it can be difficult to figure it out on your own. Where to begin? Here are some basic breathing exercises that you can apply as soon as you start to feel anxious. Try all three techniques to see which works best for you.
The more often you train in a calm state, the better you will be able to use this experience in situations that provoke anxiety.
Even breathing
This is a very simple breathing exercise that can be done anywhere and anytime. It helps to calm the central nervous system, which in turn enhances focus and reduces signs of anxiety and stress. This technique is especially useful when you feel irritated and angry, or if you can’t sleep for a long time.
Asa de:
- Inhale through your nose for a count of four.
- Tine-ti respiratia.
- Exhale through your nose, also counting to four.
If you can barely contain your anger, you can exhale through your mouth.
When you get used to counting to four, begin to increase the count during inhalation and exhalation to six, and then to eight.
Abdominal (diaphragmatic) breathing
Most of us have forgotten how to breathe properly. We breathe through the mouth: superficially, shallowly, practically without using the diaphragm. With such breathing, only the upper part of the lungs is involved and we receive less oxygen.
By breathing deeply, you not only increase the amount of oxygen inhaled, but also prepare yourself for the practice of concentration and meditation.
1. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach. When you take a deep breath, the hand on your stomach should rise higher than the hand on your chest. This ensures that the diaphragm fills the lungs completely with air.
2. After exhaling through your mouth, take a slow deep breath in through your nose for a count of four or five and hold your breath for 4-5 seconds.
3. Exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of five.
When the air is released and the abdominal muscles relax, tighten them to get rid of the remaining air.
4. Repeat the cycle four more times (for a total of five deep breaths), and then try to take one breath every ten seconds (that is, six breaths per minute).
When you master this technique, you can include words in the exercise: for example, inhale on the word “relaxation” and exhale on “stress” or “anger”. The idea is that when you inhale, you kind of absorb a positive emotion, and when you exhale, release a negative one.
Breathing with alternating nostrils
To do this exercise, inhale through one nostril, hold your breath, and then exhale through the other in a ratio of 2:8:4. One «approach» consists of six steps. Start with three approaches and gradually increase their number.
With this breathing, you use Vishnu mudra (a symbolic gesture in Hinduism and Buddhism): close and open the nostrils with your right hand. Press your index and middle fingers into your palm and bring your hand to your nose. The thumb should be at the right nostril, and the little finger and ring finger at the left.
Steps within one approach:
- Inhale through the left nostril, closing the right with your thumb and counting to four.
- Hold your breath by closing both nostrils and counting to sixteen.
- Exhale through the right nostril, closing the left with the ring and little fingers and counting to eight.
- Inhale through the right nostril (left still closed with the ring and little fingers) counting to four.
- Hold your breath by closing both nostrils and counting to sixteen.
- Exhale through the left nostril (the right is still closed with the thumb), counting to eight.
Alyssa Yo is a psychologist and yoga teacher.