Breathing exercises may seem simple, but there are many different techniques suitable for different situations and people. Breathing exercises can help not only to calm an anxious person, but help to strengthen core muscles, and even correct reverse breathing. Normal healthy breaths should cause the abdomen to puff out during inhalation as the diaphragm fills with air. Reverse breathing as some yogis call it, can be a marker of stress and these breathers pull in the abdomen when they breathe in and it can have a negative effect on the nervous system.
Left/Right Breathing
Alternating the breath through one nostril at a time can bring balance to the autonomic nervous system. According to Timothy McCall, M.D., author of "Yoga as Medicine"; breathing through the right nostril stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, which is energizing, and breathing through the left nostril stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is relaxing. This exercise can be done in a sitting position, by holding the right nostril closed with the thumb and breathing in and out through the left nostril, then holding the left nostril closed, and breathing in and out through the right, then repeating through counted breaths.
Belly Breathing
If you are a reverse breather, belly breathing exercises can help you to retrain yourself to breathe normally, which may significantly reduce stress levels. This is done by lying down on the back, and after observing a few natural breathes, inhale by gently contracting the abdominal muscles, bringing the navel towards the spine. Let the abdomen gently lift during inhalation but don't force it. Lay there consciously aware of the belly's movement for five to 10 minutes. This can also be done in a sitting position after you get the hang of it, so you can do it in the car, or at your desk. It is also useful if you are a runner, as you can now consciously direct your breath during your runs, and utilize your energy more effectively.
Sandbag Exercise
This exercise is used to strengthen the diaphragm and abdominal muscles through breathing. It is done lying down in the yoga pose called Relaxation pose (Savasana), with a cushion or folded blanket under the head so that the arch of the neck is supported. "Yoga as Medicine," instructs to begin by softening the abdomen and to feel it rise and fall with your breathing. Once the flow of breath is established, a 10 lb. sandbag or bag of rice, for example, is placed on the upper abdomen. "As you breathe in, gently lift the bag using your diaphragm, not by pushing the abdominal muscles out," the book says. Exhale in a slow and controlled manner so that the weight of the bag doesn't push the air out too quickly. This is practiced for five minutes and then sessions can be increased to 10 minutes three days a week for a month.
References
- "Yoga as Medicine: The Yogic Prescription for Health and Healing"; Timothy McCall, M.D.; 2007
