{"id":1117,"date":"2012-10-08T15:33:53","date_gmt":"2012-10-08T19:33:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lifeofbrian.ca\/?p=1117"},"modified":"2023-10-07T11:34:03","modified_gmt":"2023-10-07T15:34:03","slug":"6-breathing-exercises-to-relax-in-10-minutes-or-less","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.lifeofbrian.ca\/index.php\/2012\/10\/6-breathing-exercises-to-relax-in-10-minutes-or-less\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Breathing Exercises to Relax in 10 Minutes or Less"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Breath,<\/a>

Breath, Relax, Repeat – ZENSHUI\/SIGRID OLSSON \/ GETTY IMAGES<\/p><\/div>\n

I have noticed – first hand – the profound difference only a few\u00a0minutes\u00a0a day of simple breathing exercises can make in\u00a0reducing\u00a0stress and relieving built-up tension. There are plenty of different techniques you can try, and below you will find some that will help you get started. Give it a week.<\/p>\n

Read the full article here @ Time.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Overworked, underslept and feeling the pressure? There are plenty of ways to find calm, without investing in a four-hand spa massage. All you need is a pair of lungs, your breath and 10 minutes or less.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t wait until fight or flight kicks in before minding your breath. Controlled breathing not only keeps the mind and body functioning\u00a0at their best<\/a>, it can also lower blood pressure, promote feelings of calm and\u00a0relaxation<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0help<\/a>\u00a0us\u00a0de-stress<\/a>.<\/p>\n

While the effects of breathing techniques on anxiety haven\u2019t yet been studied at length (at least not in a controlled clinical setting), many experts encourage using the breath as a means of increasing awareness,\u00a0mindfulness<\/a>\u00a0or, for the yogis among us, finding that elusive state of Zen. To get to the bottom of the breath work, Greatist spoke to breathing expert\u00a0Dr. Alison McConnell<\/a>, yoga instructorRebecca Pacheco<\/a>\u00a0and psychologist\u00a0Dr. Ellen Langer<\/a>. But follow closely: breathing easy isn\u2019t quite as easy as it sounds.<\/p>\n

From the confines of a bed, a desk or anyplace where negativity finds its way, consider these six breathing techniques to help keep calm and carry on.<\/p>\n

1. Sama Vritti or \u201cEqual Breathing\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

How it\u2019s done:\u00a0<\/strong>Balance can do a body good, beginning with the\u00a0breath<\/a>. To start, inhale for a count of four, then exhale for a count of four \u2014 all through the nose, which adds a natural resistance to the breath. Got the basic\u00a0pranayama<\/a>\u00a0down? More advanced yogis can aim for six to eight counts per breath with the same goal in mind: calm the nervous system, increase focus and reduce stress, Pacheco says.<\/p>\n

When it works best:<\/strong>\u00a0Anytime, anyplace \u2014 but this is one technique that\u2019s especially effective before bed. \u201cSimilar to counting sheep,\u201d Pacheco says, \u201cif you\u2019re having trouble falling asleep, this breath can help take your mind off the racing thoughts, or whatever might be distracting you from sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

Level of difficulty:<\/strong>\u00a0Beginner<\/p>\n

2. Abdominal Breathing Technique<\/strong><\/p>\n

How it\u2019s done:<\/strong>\u00a0With one hand on the chest and the other on the belly, take a deep breath in through the nose, ensuring the diaphragm (not the chest) inflates with enough air to create a stretch in the lungs. The goal: Six to 10 deep, slow breaths per minute for 10 minutes each day to experience immediate reductions to heart rate and blood pressure, McConnell says. Keep at it for six to eight weeks, and those benefits might stick around even longer.<\/p>\n

When it works best:<\/strong>\u00a0Before an exam, or any stressful event. But keep in mind, \u201cThose who operate in a stressed state all the time might be a little shocked how hard it is to control the breath,\u201d Pacheco says. To help train the breath, consider biofeedback tools such as McConnell\u2019s\u00a0Breathe Strong app<\/a>, which can help users pace their breathing wherever they are.<\/p>\n

Level of difficulty:<\/strong>\u00a0Beginner<\/p>\n

3. Nadi Shodhana or \u201cAlternate Nostril Breathing\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

How it\u2019s done:<\/strong>\u00a0A yogi\u2019s best friend, this breath is said to bring calm and balance, and unite the right and left\u00a0sides of the brain<\/a>. Starting in a comfortable meditative pose, hold the right thumb over the right nostril and inhale deeply through the left nostril. At the peak of inhalation, close off the left nostril with the ring finger, then exhale through the right nostril. Continue the pattern, inhaling through the right nostril, closing it off with the right thumb and exhaling through the left nostril.<\/p>\n

When it works best:<\/strong>\u00a0Crunch time, or whenever it\u2019s time to focus or energize. Just don\u2019t try this one before bed: Nadi shodhana is said to \u201cclear the channels<\/a>\u201d and make people feel more awake. \u201cIt\u2019s almost like a cup of coffee,\u201d Pacheco says.<\/p>\n

Level of difficulty:<\/strong>\u00a0Intermediate<\/p>\n

4. Kapalabhati or \u201cSkull Shining Breath\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

How it\u2019s done:<\/strong>\u00a0Ready to brighten up your day from the inside out? This one begins with a\u00a0long, slow inhale<\/a>, followed by a quick, powerful exhale generated from the lower belly. Once comfortable with the contraction, up the pace to one inhale-exhale (all through the nose) every one to two seconds, for a total of 10 breaths.<\/p>\n

When it works best:<\/strong>\u00a0When it\u2019s time to wake up, warm up or start looking on the brighter side of things. \u201cIt\u2019s pretty abdominal-intensive,\u201d Pacheco says, \u201cbut it will warm up the body, shake off stale energy and wake up the brain.\u201d If alternate nostril breathing is like coffee, consider this a shot of espresso, she says.<\/p>\n

Level of difficulty:<\/strong>\u00a0Advanced<\/p>\n

5. Progressive Relaxation<\/strong><\/p>\n

How it\u2019s done:<\/strong>\u00a0To nix\u00a0tension<\/a>\u00a0from head to toe, close the eyes and focus on\u00a0tensing and relaxing<\/a>\u00a0each muscle group for two to three seconds each. Start with the feet and toes, then move up to the knees, thighs, rear, chest, arms, hands, neck, jaw and eyes \u2014 all while maintaining deep, slow breaths. Having trouble staying on track? Anxiety and panic specialist\u00a0Dr. Patricia Farrell<\/a>\u00a0suggests we breathe in through the nose,\u00a0hold for a count of five<\/a>\u00a0while the muscles tense, then breathe out through the mouth on release.<\/p>\n

When it works best:<\/strong>\u00a0At home, at a desk or even on the road. One word of caution: Dizziness is never the goal. If holding the breath ever feels uncomfortable, tone it down to just a few seconds at most.<\/p>\n

Level of difficulty:<\/strong>\u00a0Beginner<\/p>\n

6. Guided Visualization<\/strong><\/p>\n

How it\u2019s done:<\/strong>\u00a0Head straight for that \u201chappy place<\/a>,\u201d no questions asked. With a coach, therapist or helpful recording as your guide, breathe deeply while focusing on pleasant,\u00a0positive images<\/a>\u00a0to replace any negative thoughts. Psychologist Dr. Ellen Langer explains that while it\u2019s just one means of achieving mindfulness, \u201cGuided visualization helps puts you in the place you want to be, rather than letting your mind go to the internal dialogue that is stressful.\u201d<\/p>\n

When it works best:<\/strong>\u00a0Pretty much anyplace you can safely close your eyes and\u00a0let go<\/a>\u00a0(e.g.\u00a0not<\/em>\u00a0at the wheel of a car).<\/p>\n

Level of difficulty:<\/strong>\u00a0Intermediate<\/p>\n

While stress, frustration, and other daily setbacks will always be there, the good news is, so will our breath.<\/p>\n

Read more:\u00a0http:\/\/healthland.time.com\/2012\/10\/08\/6-breathing-exercises-to-relax-in-10-minutes-or-less\/#ixzz28jlA1jEp<\/a><\/p>\n

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I have noticed – first hand – the profound difference only a few\u00a0minutes\u00a0a day of simple breathing exercises can make in\u00a0reducing\u00a0stress and relieving built-up tension. There are plenty of different techniques you can try, and below you will find some that will help you get started. Give it a week. Read the full article here […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1118,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[178,381],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.lifeofbrian.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1117"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.lifeofbrian.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.lifeofbrian.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.lifeofbrian.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.lifeofbrian.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1117"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/www.lifeofbrian.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1117\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1329,"href":"http:\/\/www.lifeofbrian.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1117\/revisions\/1329"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.lifeofbrian.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1118"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.lifeofbrian.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1117"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.lifeofbrian.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1117"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.lifeofbrian.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1117"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}