How Do I Lower Breathing?

For most people breathing is an activity that is performed unconsciously thousands of times an hour. However, when stress or anxiety strike, the breath can become rapid and feel as if it's coming from high in the chest. To maintain calm and balance, breathing can be regulated by learning how to lower your rate of inhale and exhale.

Relax

• Lie on the floor and let your feet and legs relax. Lengthen your spine, and if your shoulders are shrugged up underneath your ears lower them towards your feet. Let the tension ease out as you prepare to practice regulated breathing.

How to Breathe

• Placing both hands on your belly just below the navel, exhale and then take a deep breath and feel your abdomen rise beneath your hands. The diaphragm is contracting, pushing organs and fluids out of the way and pushing the belly up so that the lungs can lengthen and fill more completely.

  Take a minute or so to feel the rhythmic rise and fall as you exhale and inhale fully and deeply.

  Now move your hands to the sides of your ribcage. Exhale and then inhale slowly, being aware of your belly rising, but now also feeling the ribcage expand outward as you inhale.

  Exhale and move your hands to your throat. As you inhale be conscious of the breath rising through the throat.

Benefits

• Once you learn the basics at home you'll be able to lower your rate of breathing anytime you feel it becoming shallow and accelerated. Just stop where you are, exhale completely and inhale deeply.