Slowing Down the Breath
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This breathing program is designed to help you slow down and lengthen your breathing. Anxiety is anticipation of physical and emotional stress, and is often characterised by hyperventilation. We breathe harder and faster in anticipation of the need for physical exertion. We breathe using neck and shoulder accessory breathing muscles rather than relying on the action of the central diaphragm. When the physical exertion that would have used up the extra oxygen and created more carbon dioxide does not occur, we upset the chemical balance of our bodies. The harder we breathe, the more oxygen-starved we feel, It may feel like we can’t ‘catch’ our breath. Too much oxygen makes the blood alkaline, and the oxygen carrying molecule, haemoglobin, becomes sticky and doesn’t release the oxygen to the cells. Usually, in relaxed breathing, an increase in carbon dioxide levels in the blood triggers the brain stem to initiate a contraction of the diaphragm. It is a relaxed process that perfectly matches the rate of breathing to the cellular demands of the body. But when the breath is driven by panic, we override the chemical system with the mind and breathe harder, turning an initially small chemical imbalance into a panic attack. In this state it is almost impossible to think rationally about changing the breath. Regular breathing practice will develop a resource for you to easily access when you feel stressed.
This series of recordings is designed to systematically slow down breathing over the course of 10 to 15 minutes. There are 6 stages starting at 15 breaths per minute and finishing at 5 breaths per minute. You should start with the breathing rate that best matches your current breath. If the first one feels too fast, then start with a slower rate. Do not feel like you have to keep slowing down your breath progressively. Stop at the level where you feel yourself physically relax. If the next slower breath is too slow, you will feel uncomfortable; go back to the rate where you felt comfortable and repeat it as many times as you like.
Try to breathe as effortlessly and naturally as possible. Lie or sit in a position where you can relax your abdomen. Many people find it helpful to hold a cushion against the belly, to lie face down, or to be in supported child’s pose over a bolster. Relax your neck, shoulders, jaw, nostrils and brow. Sense that when you breathe in, it comes from the movement of the abdomen and lower ribs, while the neck and shoulders remain relaxed. Relax the abdomen as you inhale, feeling waist, belly and lower ribs expand. Let the exhale be passive, letting the breath fall out of you, and then relaxing in the pause after the exhale. The exhalation and pause after exhalation will lengthen with each progressive recording, where the length of inhalation will not change very much.
If you have any difficulty or these breathing exercises make you feel worse, then seek the support of an experienced teacher or consult your doctor.
This series of recordings is designed to systematically slow down breathing over the course of 10 to 15 minutes. There are 6 stages starting at 15 breaths per minute and finishing at 5 breaths per minute. You should start with the breathing rate that best matches your current breath. If the first one feels too fast, then start with a slower rate. Do not feel like you have to keep slowing down your breath progressively. Stop at the level where you feel yourself physically relax. If the next slower breath is too slow, you will feel uncomfortable; go back to the rate where you felt comfortable and repeat it as many times as you like.
Try to breathe as effortlessly and naturally as possible. Lie or sit in a position where you can relax your abdomen. Many people find it helpful to hold a cushion against the belly, to lie face down, or to be in supported child’s pose over a bolster. Relax your neck, shoulders, jaw, nostrils and brow. Sense that when you breathe in, it comes from the movement of the abdomen and lower ribs, while the neck and shoulders remain relaxed. Relax the abdomen as you inhale, feeling waist, belly and lower ribs expand. Let the exhale be passive, letting the breath fall out of you, and then relaxing in the pause after the exhale. The exhalation and pause after exhalation will lengthen with each progressive recording, where the length of inhalation will not change very much.
If you have any difficulty or these breathing exercises make you feel worse, then seek the support of an experienced teacher or consult your doctor.