Controlled breathing can be done effectively in few simple steps:
#1. Sit comfortably
Assume a comfortably sitting position. This will allow you to breathe with less strain, giving a clear and smooth way to the air to go in and out of your body through the nose and mouth, respectively. I personally prefer to sit halfway the chair or recline on the headboard of my bed when I ready myself for this activity.
#2. Inhale gently through the nose
Empty your lungs with air by exhaling through your mouth. Then, slowly and steadily, inhale through the nose. As you breathe in through the nose, keep your mouth close. Without putting strain in your shoulder and chest muscles, take in as much air as your lungs can accommodate.
NOTE: Tension in your shoulders or chest indicates that you're not breathing in appropriately.
IF you're just beginning to practice the exercise, paying attention to your diaphragm will help.
Imagine you're a balloon. As you fill yourself with air, the diaphragm inflates. If you're doing this breathing activity right, your diaphragm will rise and fall, not your shoulders or chest.
#3. Hold your breath for a while
When your lungs are filled with air, hold your breathe for a few seconds, say six to seven seconds. This will allow your blood to capture the maximum amount of oxygen it can take from the air in your lungs.
#4. Exhale steadily through your mouth.
Imagine yourself blowing through a drinking straw or a trumpet. Purse your mouth and with a "whooshing" sound empty all the air from your lungs.
NOTE: The amount of time you consume for exhalation is preferably double the time you consume for inhalation. For example, if you inhale in 5 seconds, try to exhale slowly and steadily in 10 seconds until all the air in your lungs are out.
#5. Repeat the entire process continuously.
#6. As you go about with the process, VISUALIZE.
As you inhale, think and feel the air sustaining your life. It carries with it positivity, hope, happiness and satisfaction. As you hold your breath, imagine yourself consuming all this positive energy from the air you just took in. Giving you more power to combat all the stressors around you. And, as you exhale, imagine that all the negativity, hopelessness, unhappiness, fear, anger and dissatisfaction find their way out of your body. Think and feel that you are blowing all unwanted things out of yourself, out of your life.
REMEMBER: You are not only your thoughts or feelings. You are more than them. You are far greater than them. Be aware of this reality as you perform the controlled breathing exercise.
There's no rules as to when or where you must do the exercise. Make the most out of it as you feel required.
But, if you commit to perform this exercise so often--whenever you're upset, before going to bed, when you're relaxing--little by little you will find this little, simple activity doing wonders in your life.
#1. Sit comfortably
Assume a comfortably sitting position. This will allow you to breathe with less strain, giving a clear and smooth way to the air to go in and out of your body through the nose and mouth, respectively. I personally prefer to sit halfway the chair or recline on the headboard of my bed when I ready myself for this activity.
#2. Inhale gently through the nose
Empty your lungs with air by exhaling through your mouth. Then, slowly and steadily, inhale through the nose. As you breathe in through the nose, keep your mouth close. Without putting strain in your shoulder and chest muscles, take in as much air as your lungs can accommodate.
NOTE: Tension in your shoulders or chest indicates that you're not breathing in appropriately.
IF you're just beginning to practice the exercise, paying attention to your diaphragm will help.
Imagine you're a balloon. As you fill yourself with air, the diaphragm inflates. If you're doing this breathing activity right, your diaphragm will rise and fall, not your shoulders or chest.
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| (Photo from dreamstime.com) |
When your lungs are filled with air, hold your breathe for a few seconds, say six to seven seconds. This will allow your blood to capture the maximum amount of oxygen it can take from the air in your lungs.
#4. Exhale steadily through your mouth.
Imagine yourself blowing through a drinking straw or a trumpet. Purse your mouth and with a "whooshing" sound empty all the air from your lungs.
NOTE: The amount of time you consume for exhalation is preferably double the time you consume for inhalation. For example, if you inhale in 5 seconds, try to exhale slowly and steadily in 10 seconds until all the air in your lungs are out.
 |
| (Photo from edweather.blogspot.com) |
#6. As you go about with the process, VISUALIZE.
As you inhale, think and feel the air sustaining your life. It carries with it positivity, hope, happiness and satisfaction. As you hold your breath, imagine yourself consuming all this positive energy from the air you just took in. Giving you more power to combat all the stressors around you. And, as you exhale, imagine that all the negativity, hopelessness, unhappiness, fear, anger and dissatisfaction find their way out of your body. Think and feel that you are blowing all unwanted things out of yourself, out of your life.
 |
| (Photo from cyliafitandfab.blogspot.com) |
There's no rules as to when or where you must do the exercise. Make the most out of it as you feel required.
But, if you commit to perform this exercise so often--whenever you're upset, before going to bed, when you're relaxing--little by little you will find this little, simple activity doing wonders in your life.
