As you watch your stocks plummet in value and your savings depleted because of the rising costs of living and envision your retirement--not spent relaxing on a lake in a rowboat but rather wearing an apron and cheerily greeting other jerks shopping at Wal-Mart--might I suggest some deep breathing exercises to prevent you from driving your car into a tree? You're welcome.
DEEP BREATHING EXERCISES
from www.dartmouth.edu
Breathing Awareness and Deep Breathing
- Lie down or sit in a comfortable chair, maintaining good posture. Your body should be as relaxed as possible. Close your eyes. Scan your body for tension.
- Pay attention to your breathing. Place one hand on the part of your chest or abdomen that seems to rise and fall the most with each breath. If this spot is in your chest you are not utilizing the lower part of your lungs.
- Place both hands on your abdomen and follow your breathing, noticing how your abdomen rises and falls.
- Breathe through your nose.
- Notice if your chest is moving in harmony with your abdomen.
- Now place one hand on your abdomen and one on your chest.
- Inhale deeply and slowly through your nose into your abdomen. You should feel your abdomen rise with this inhalation and your chest should move only a little.
- Exhale through your mouth, keeping your mouth, tongue, and jaw relaxed.
- Relax as you focus on the sound and feeling of long, slow, deep breaths.
Complete Natural Breathing
- Sit or stand with good posture.
- Breathe through your nose.
- Inhale, filling first the lower part of your lungs then the middle part, then the upper part.
- Hold your breath for a few seconds.
- Exhale slowly. Relax your abdomen and chest.
1 comment:
As a sufferer of anxiety I can vouch for the benefits of breathing exercises. Long, deep breathing through your nose, down to your belly. Your abdomen should raise above your chest.
It's not the solution to your problems, but can help mellow you out.
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