And Breathe….

I’m very often talking to women about breathing! It is a simple, free and effective self-help technique and when done properly can bring about instant results for people. Proper “belly breathing” does need to be learnt for many people as the majority of us spend the day walking around doing “chest breathes”. It also needs to be practiced.

Why do I talk about breathing so much?

Because it is a POWERFUL anti-stress technique…. a proper inhale and exhalation, when done at proper intervals, can reduce stress levels.

By drawing air in to the lower section of the lungs to the place where oxygen exchange is optimum we can

- Slow down heart rate

- Relax muscles

- Calm the mind

- Reduce BP

- Ease anxiety sensations and stop panic

Learn the Technique

Start by gauging how you are breathing normally - you can be sitting up straight or lying down with your back on the floor. Place one hand on the chest and the other lower down on the stomach area. Breathe normally and notice if your stomach hand or your chest hand rises. To breathe properly, your stomach area should rise more than your chest as your diaphragm expands. This is just the first step to gain awareness of your ‘normal’ breathe.

The technique we want to achieve is breathing in to your diaphragm and not the chest, to inhale through the nose and exhale out the mouth. Exhale should be longer than inhale and it should be taken slowly until it eventually becomes your natural way of breathing.

Here are the Steps

Start by slowly breathing in through your nose through the count of 4.
Hold the breath for a count of 7.
Slowly exhale through your mouth for a count of 8

Try to remember these points when doing the counting:

The whoosh: On the exhale, try to make a soft “whoosh” sound by holding the tip of your tongue against the roof of your mouth (or lightly clench your teeth)

The candle: Avoid “mouth breathing” and exhale through ‘pursed lips’ – sort of like you were gently blowing out a candle.

Start Slow and Build Up

This is really important. Repeat the basic technique but only do four breaths at first – stay at this level until it is totally comfortable and you are doing it naturally then start to build the number of breathes up to eight breaths.

Do this twice each day.

Some people may begin to panic at first – if you do just take it slow only do it for as long as you are able.

With practice at 8 breaths twice a day this will become your natural breathing.

An additional benefit will be that once you are familiar with the exercise, you can do it while experiencing anxiety or the beginning of a panic attack, and you will feel relief.

Just remember this takes time and does require practice – slow is the way to go.

A lot of people may feel light headed when they start but by taking it slowly and starting in a seated position you will soon overcome this.

I work with women to overcome stress and anxiety, teaching breathing techniques can really help. I also bring in to treatment other techniques based on the theories of Traditional Chinese Medicine – many of which can be taken away and practiced at home. My aim is for women to leave after each acupuncture treatment with a “tool kit” to take control of their anxiety, stress or panic.

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