Take a Deep Breath
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Easy tips to practice diaphragmatic breathing
Many of us are overworked sleep deprived and constantly under a lot of stress. You don’t have to venture very far though for a way to invite calm and relaxation into your life. With something as simple as diaphragmatic breathing you can find your place of calm at any time.
Diaphragmatic, abdominal, belly or deep breathing is breathing done by contracting the diaphragm. A large dome shaped muscle, your diaphragm is located at the base of your lungs and is the most efficient muscle of breathing. When we feel anxious, stressed or tense, our breathing often becomes rapid and shallow. Our abdominal muscles in turn get tense which interferes with normal diaphragmatic contraction. We are often taught that proper posture is when our stomachs are “sucked in”. This unfortunately, makes us “chest breathers which cause us to breathe shallow and rapidly.
One of the most effective ways to calm ourselves is by using diaphragmatic breathing. There are a long list of benefits from deep belly breathing and when practiced regularly can be used to bring relief or prevent symptoms commonly associated with stress including high blood pressure, headache, gastrointestinal disturbances, depression and anxiety, to name a few. One of the most striking benefits is the stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system, or your “rest and digest” mode in opposition to the “flight and fight” mode associated with the sympathetic branch of your nervous system.. Your vagus nerve is a conduit for fibers connected with the parasympathetic nervous system. When you take a deep belly breath, this nerve is massaged by the diaphragm allowing you to essentially “turn it on” and thus shift you into the “rest and digest” mode which promotes a state of calm.
So how do you get started? It’s easy and can be done at any time or place. Here is an exercise to help you learn the technique of diaphragmatic breathing:
Place your hands just below your belly button.
Close your eyes and imagine a balloon inside your abdomen.
Each time you breathe in imagine the balloon filling with air.
Feel your abdomen rise as the balloon fills.
Each time you breathe out imagine the balloon collapsing.
If you have trouble concentrating on your breath or your mind wanders, here is a technique that can help keep your attention focused on your breath:
In ... Out:
Each time you inhale, say the word “In” silently to yourself. Each time you exhale, say the word “Out.” Or you can try saying a short phrase to yourself. For example, when you inhale, say: Breathing in I calm myself. When you exhale, say: Breathing out I relax
Try these exercise anytime you feel stressed or anxious or while waiting for the skytrain, in your car during the morning commute. The best part is that all you need is your lungs and your breath for you to practice diaphragmatic breathing and achieve a sense of calm…in any place and at any time!
References:
1. Yarborough, K. (2011). Living in Balance. Breathe: Breath Work for Massage Therapists. Massage Magazine, (178), 64-69. Available from: http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=f0357d4b-8b66-4b28-8572-f3b02cab75b3%40sessionmgr4009&vid=8&hid=4105
2. Russell, M. B., Hoffman, B., Stromberg, S., & Carlson, C. R. (2014). Use of controlled diaphragmatic breathing for the management of motion sickness in a virtual reality environment. Applied Psychophysiology And Biofeedback, 39(3-4), 269-277. doi:10.1007/s10484-014-9265-6
3. Dorter G. Diaphragmatic/Abdominal Breathing. Patient handout. Available from: http://www.gregdorter.com/handouts/mindfulness/breathing-exercises.pdf