Shallow breathing
We loose the ability to breath deeply naturally as we age: deep breathing comes naturally to children, but we lose the ability because we’re in a constant state of fight-or-flight, low-level stress. Our breathing migrates up in our bodies; it's an anxious breath.
MORE IDEAS FROM THE ARTICLE
... is the fastest, most effective way to trigger the relaxation response, enabling you to think more clearly and perform better under pressure.
The Navy SEALs use 2 breathing techniques that force the body into a more relaxed state when they’re in a high-pressure situation:
- Tactical breathing
- Box breathing.
Is a technique to use when you feel yourself having a fight-or-flight response. It involves all your breathing muscles–from chest to belly.
- Place your right hand on your belly, pushing out with a big exhale. Then breathe in through your nostrils, slowly drawing the breath upward from your belly to your upper chest.
- Pause and exhale, starting from your chest and moving downward to the air in your belly. Imagine your belly button touching your spine.
- Once you’re comfortable with a full, deep breath, repeat it, this time making the exhale twice as long as the length of the inhale.
It’s meant to ground you, sharpen your concentration, and leave you feeling alert but calm.
- Push the air out of your chest, keeping your lungs empty for the count of four. Then start the tactical breathing, inhaling through your nose for a count of four, drawing air into your belly and moving up into your chest. Hold the air in your lungs for a count of four.
- The movement should feel fluid and open. Exhale smoothly, starting at the chest and moving to the belly, for four slow counts. Complete the box with a pause of four before beginning another repetition.
- Continue this technique for five minutes.
RELATED IDEAS
How it’s done: 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.
When it works best: Crunch time, or whenever it’s time to focus or energize.
Focused, abdominal breathing (belly breathing) 20 to 30 minutes each day is a great way to achieve a natural relaxation response.
The point of focused breathing is to feel connected to your body, and be present and aware of the feeling of your worries drifting farther and farther away.
It involves filling the lungs to the max and goes by various names like belly or diaphragmatic breathing.
It has been linked to improved cognitive performance, lower stress levels, and lower blood pressure.