Breathe deeply, focus your breathing, take equal time to inhale and exhale, and relax your muscles to help relax your mind and reduce stress.
Performing simple but correct breathing exercises as a daily habit helps regulate mood and is beneficial for health. Deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, slows the heart rate, and reduces blood pressure. Long exhalations can reduce levels of cortisol, a stress hormone. At the same time, breathing properly provides more oxygen to the brain, thereby increasing the ability to concentrate.
Before starting breathing exercises, choose a quiet place, whether in bed, on the living room floor, or in a comfortable chair. Don’t force yourself because it can make stress worse, try to do it twice a day, choose comfortable clothes.
Breathing properly helps relax the mind. Photo created by AI
Take deep breaths
Taking short, shallow breaths into the chest can create feelings of anxiety, drain energy and cause fatigue. Deep breathing techniques can bring air to the abdomen, making it easier to relax.
You can lie on your back in bed or on the floor with pillows under your head and knees, or sit in a chair with your shoulders, head, and neck resting on the back of the chair. Inhale through your nose to fill your belly with air, then exhale through your nose. Place one hand on your stomach, the other on your chest. Inhale until you feel your belly expand. Stop exhaling when you feel your stomach deflate. Repeat the movement continuously for 10 minutes.
Concentrate your breathing
This technique requires the practitioner to close their eyes and take a few deep breaths. When inhaling, focus on the flow of air and imagine an activity that makes you feel peaceful and calm.
The inhalation and exhalation times are equal
In this exercise, you will adjust your inhalation and exhalation time accordingly. Over time, you will gradually increase the amount of time you inhale and exhale at the same time. You should sit comfortably on the floor or in a chair, inhale through your nose for 5 seconds and exhale through your nose for 5 seconds. Repeat many times while increasing the inhalation time to 7, 9, 10 or more to help reduce stress.
Progressive muscle relaxation
Progressive muscle relaxation techniques help relax both physically and mentally. The practitioner lies comfortably on the floor, takes a few deep breaths to relax. When inhaling, you should tense the muscles in your feet and exhale with a relaxing movement of your feet. Next, tense your calf muscles when inhaling and relax your calf muscles when exhaling. Perform breathing movements and stretch muscles in many parts of the body including legs, abdomen, chest, fingers, arms, shoulders, neck and face.