3 Breathing Exercises and Techniques

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3 Breathing Exercises and Techniques

“Practicing a regular, mindful breathing exercise can be calming and energizing and
can even help with stress-related health problems ranging from panic attacks to
digestive disorders.” Andrew Weil, M.D.
Since breathing is something we can control and regulate, it is a useful tool

for achieving a relaxed and clear state of mind. I recommend three
breathing exercises and techniques to help relax and reduce stress:
The Stimulating Breath, The 4-7-8 Breathing Exercise (also called the

Relaxing Breath), and Breath Counting. Try each of these breathing
exercises and techniques and see how they affect your stress and anxiety
levels.
Breathing Exercise 1:

The Stimulating Breath (also called the Bellows Breath)
The Stimulating Breath is adapted from yogic breathing techniques. Its aim
is to raise vital energy and increase alertness.
 Inhale and exhale rapidly through your nose, keeping your mouth
closed but relaxed. Your breaths in and out should be equal in
duration, but as short as possible. This is a noisy breathing exercise.
 Try for three in-and-out breath cycles per second. This produces a
quick movement of the diaphragm, suggesting a bellows. Breathe
normally after each cycle.
 Do not do for more than 15 seconds on your first try. Each time you
practice the Stimulating Breath, you can increase your time by five
seconds or so, until you reach a full minute.
If done properly, you may feel invigorated, comparable to the heightened
awareness you feel after a good workout. You should feel the effort at the
back of the neck, the diaphragm, the chest and the abdomen. Try this
diaphragmatic breathing exercise the next time you need an energy boost
and feel yourself reaching for a cup of coffee.
The 4-7-8 (or Relaxing Breath) Exercise
The 4-7-8 breathing exercise is utterly simple, takes almost no time,
requires no equipment and can be done anywhere. Although you can do the
exercise in any position, sit with your back straight while learning the
exercise. Place the tip of your tongue against the ridge of tissue just behind
your upper front teeth, and keep it there through the entire exercise. You
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will be exhaling through your mouth around your tongue; try pursing your
lips slightly if this seems awkward.
 Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.

 Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental
count of four.
 Hold your breath for a count of seven.
 Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a
count of eight.
 This is one breath. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle three more
times for a total of four breaths.
Note that with this breathing technique, you always inhale quietly through
your nose and exhale audibly through your mouth. The tip of your tongue
stays in position the whole time. Exhalation takes twice as long as
inhalation. The absolute time you spend on each phase is not important; the
ratio of 4:7:8 is important. If you have trouble holding your breath, speed
the exercise up but keep to the ratio of 4:7:8 for the three phases. With
practice you can slow it all down and get used to inhaling and exhaling more
and more deeply.
This breathing exercise is a natural tranquilizer for the nervous system.

Unlike tranquilizing drugs, which are often effective when you first take them
but then lose their power over time, this exercise is subtle when you first try
it, but gains in power with repetition and practice. Do it at least twice a day.
You cannot do it too frequently. Do not do more than four breaths at one
time for the first month of practice. Later, if you wish, you can extend it to
eight breaths. If you feel a little lightheaded when you first breathe this way,
do not be concerned; it will pass.
Once you develop this technique by practicing it every day, it will be a very
useful tool that you will always have with you. Use it whenever anything
upsetting happens – before you react. Use it whenever you are aware of
internal tension or stress. Use it to help you fall asleep. This exercise cannot
be recommended too highly. Everyone can benefit from it.
Breath Counting
If you want to get a feel for this challenging work, try your hand at breath
counting, a deceptively simple breathing technique much used in Zen
practice.
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Sit in a comfortable position with the spine straight and head inclined slightly
forward. Gently close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Then let the
breath come naturally without trying to influence it. Ideally it will be quiet
and slow, but depth and rhythm may vary.
 To begin the exercise, count “one” to yourself as you exhale.

 The next time you exhale, count “two,” and so on up to “five.”
 Then begin a new cycle, counting “one” on the next exhalation.
Never count higher than “five,” and count only when you exhale. You will
know your attention has wandered when you find yourself up to “eight,”
“12,” even “19.”
Try to do 10 minutes of this form of meditation. _o0o_

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https://www.drweil.

3 Breathing Exercises and Techniques

Since breathing is something we can control and regulate, it is a useful tool

The Stimulating Breath, The 4-7-8 Breathing Exercise (also called the

Breathing Exercise 1:

 Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.

This breathing exercise is a natural tranquilizer for the nervous system.

 To begin the exercise, count “one” to yourself as you exhale.

Try to do 10 minutes of this form of meditation. _o0o_

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