A simple yet very effective skill: using your breath to relax.
The diaphragm is the muscle beneath the lungs. It drops down against the stomach when you breathe in and rises when you breathe out. In diaphragmatic breathing, your stomach inflates as you inhale and deflates as you exhale — like blowing up a balloon — with essentially no movement in the chest or shoulders. This draws air into the lower lungs and increases the oxygen in your blood.
How to practice
- Sit upright in a chair, or lie on your back with your knees slightly bent.
- Place your hands over your navel.
- Relax completely — especially your shoulders and chest — and breathe naturally through your nose.
- Let your stomach relax. Feel your hands rise as you breathe in and fall as you breathe out.
- Concentrate on your breathing and notice its qualities.
- Repeat for several breaths.
- At the very end of each exhale, gently pull your upper abdomen back and up to push out “stale” air.
What you may notice
- As you breathe in, you may feel slightly refreshed and alert.
- As you breathe out, tension releases as your diaphragm and rib muscles relax.
- A calming sensation, as though your body is sinking into the floor or bed.
- After a few breaths, your breathing becomes slower and more regular.
It may sound silly to “practice” something this easy — but practice until diaphragmatic breathing becomes smooth, natural and effortless.
Want to go further? Learn about Coherent Breathing with Stephen Elliott at our center.
