Deep or diaphragmatic breathing is simple to learn and can improve your life in a thousand ways. In the most stressful situations we tend to take our breath up and make it shorter, almost choked. Taking two minutes to this practice can bring enormous relief. Here’s how to relax and relieve stress in two minutes with breathing, wherever you are.
Practice breathing with your belly
Sit or lie on your back, in a comfortable position to maintain. Flexing the knees and placing the soles of the feet on the ground can help. Place one hand on the belly, more or less above the navel, just below the rib cage. Place the other hand on the chest. In this way it is possible to check that during the breath the belly rises and falls, while the chest remains still. Breathe in through the nose, making the belly swell and without lifting the chest. This also fills the deepest part of the lungs with air. Breathe out by half closing your mouth, making a slight sound is also fine. Feel the belly deflating and the hand gradually lowers as all the air is thrown out. Continue at your own pace for at least one minute.
A second exercise with an immediate relaxation effect
The following exercise takes one minute to generate a feeling of relaxation. This can also be done sitting or lying down, with one hand on the stomach and one on the chest. Take a nice deep inhalation while mentally counting to four.
Hold the air for seven seconds. Breathe out, releasing all the air gradually, counting to eight. Repeat this sequence trying to synchronize with this count, which we remember is 4-7-8. Let the inhale last four seconds, hold the breath for seven seconds, empty the lungs trying to take eight seconds. A third repetition may suffice, or you can continue until you feel satisfied.
This second exercise may take a little longer to come naturally, but the effect is really relaxing. The invention of this method, also indicated to be able to fall asleep, is attributed to the American doctor Andrew Thomas Weil.
Both exercises are simple and can be practiced by anyone
Once learned, they become precious resources, which can be put into practice at home, in the workplace, on a bench, anywhere and at any time. Those who know them will always know how to relax and relieve stress in two minutes. When you need a boost, the energizing breathing technique such as coffee.
(We remind you to carefully read the warnings in this regard, which can be consulted who”)
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