3 Breathing Exercises to Calm You
Even if you’re having a panic attack.
If you have experienced moments of anxiety, you will inevitably have been told to breathe. There is good reason for this and substantial evidence showing the benefits of breathing exercises to decrease our heart rate, relieve physical and emotional tension and restore us to a state of equilibrium.
When experiencing grief, such anxiety is inevitable and may impact you unexpectedly. Have you ever been doing something as benign as walking across the road and all of a sudden, you feel a crushing pressure in your chest, a shaking in your body and you are only able to breathe short, shallow breaths? You are not alone.
In that moment, as counterintuitive as it feels, we must take long slow breaths. But rather than try to think about how to breathe in that moment, we can practice breathing exercises to maintain a calm inner world on a daily basis. This also serves to prepare us for those anxious times when we default to our breathing exercises once we develop awareness and can feel an episode coming on.
Here are just 3 breathing exercises taken from the singer’s repertoire which seek to relieve physical and emotional tension:
Exercise 1.
This exercise may be done, sitting, standing or lying down.
Take a deep, slow breath in through your nose and count slowly to 5. Think about filling your belly with the breath.
Hold the breathe for a further 5 counts. Be careful not to use force to push the air into your stomach – think about the air having no weight or tension.
Expel the breath slowly and consistently over 5 counts. Ensure that all air is expelled.
Repeat the exercise 5 times.
Over time, increase the count from 5 to 10 for each breath in, hold and breath out.
Exercise 2.
Use a towel or yoga matt for comfort and lay on your back on the floor. Place a hardcover book on your stomach, just below the rib cage where your diaphragm is located.
Close your eyes.
Breathe in and out deeply, slowly and consistently.
Think about breathing into the book so that it rises with the movement of your diaphragm without wobbling or falling off. The book should rise and fall in a consistent manner.
Repeat this exercise for 3-5 minutes.
This exercise takes a little practice. It is also a challenge to do it for 3-5 minutes as your mind will start to wander, however, once you are familiar with it, you will not want to get up!
Exercise 3.
This is my favorite breathing exercise to regulate tension for singing and for life. It may be done anywhere and is known affectionately as ‘Puffy Cheek’.
Take a deep breath in, expanding into your diaphragm and stomach. Be mindful not to raise your shoulders.
Puff your cheeks out, like you have an orange in your mouth and purse your lips as you withhold the breath.
Whilst maintaining puffy cheeks, expel the air through pursed lips slowly and consistently until all air is expelled. Be mindful not to hold the breath too long and get dizzy.
Once you have exhausted the breath, breathe in again and repeat the exercise 5 times.
These exercises should take around 5-8 minutes to complete. It’s a great idea to incorporate them into your morning routine or at various intervals throughout the day. They will help centre you when you need it.