Breathing Right towards Psychological Wellbeing

You might all think that this is a strange topic that I am writing about. Now, why on this earth will I relate breathing with psychological wellbeing? Don’t we all breath anyway? If we don’t breath, we will die, right? So, what is this all about?

Okay, I am not really talking about just any kind of breathing.

Do you notice how your breathing actually reflects the emotional state and mindset you currently have? When we are nervous and tense, for instance, we tend to take short and shallow breaths. We take similar breaths when we are excited too. We run out of breath when we are taken aback or shocked over something surprising.

Now, have you ever observed how babies breathe? Babies are some of the most relaxed people, and there is something we can learn from them. Especially when they are asleep, they are very relaxed and peaceful. That’s something I’m sure all of us wants for ourselves. Notice that when they breathe, their abdomens expand as they inhale, and their bellies come down when they exhale. That’s how belly breathing (also known as abdominal or diaphragmatic breathing) looks like.

So, how is it done? Here are the simple steps:
1. You might want to put one hand on your belly and another hand on your chest. This will tell you which of these two are rising when you inhale and exhale.
2. Now, imagine that you need to blow out the flame of a big candle just in front of you. Do that twice so that you exhale most of the air in your lungs.
3. Right after you blow the second time, you will naturally need to take a deep breath. When you do, you will notice that your belly rises as you inhale. That’s a belly breath right there!
4. Just repeat the procedure for about 2 minutes (usually about 24 to 30 breaths) to relax yourself and feel better.
5. If you like, you can silently count to three when you inhale, and count another three when you exhale. Count at a slow pace that you would be able to say the following: one-one thousand-two-one thousand-three-one thousand.

The breathing exercise I just described to you is a good way to just relax yourself. You can certainly do this when you are feeling tense and anxious. You can also just practice belly breathing when you take a break from work or ending your day. It is a good way to just distract yourself from any thoughts or feelings by focusing on your breath. It is an inexpensive and natural way to just help you gain some calmness, even if your anxiety may not completely disappear.

Just like anything else, you will get better at this when you practice. So, I will encourage you to just do breathing exercises anytime during the day, whenever you have a couple of minutes to spare. You can do this standing up, sitting down, or lying down; whatever suits you when you have the time.

Breathing is such a basic way for us to help ourselves gain a better sense of wellbeing. That’s why I think it is so important to be conscious of how you breathe.