A series on breathing techniques to help you relax

How Do You Breathe?
Put your hand on your chest and a hand on your belly.
Take a deep breath. Which hand moves more?
The top hand or the bottom hand?

When we are born we are belly breathers. Watch a baby breathe and you will see that his whole body moves, butespecially his belly. In kindergarten we are still belly breathers. By fifth grade we have converted almost 100% to upper chest breathers. This learned breathing pattern is an unconsciously modeled for us by our parents and community. We change to match our high stress society.

Belly Breathing is our natural way of breathing. Take a deep breath down into the base of the lungs by using the diaphragm. Feel the abdomen expand in all directions – front, back sides. See the belly puff out a bit. That is a belly breath!

People that sing in a choir or played a musical instrument were taught belly breathing to hold the note and get a better sound…it is more effective.

Deep Breathing is a Great Relaxation Technique

The first relaxation breathing exercise you need to learn is taking deep breaths.

We can consciously try to breathe deep into the belly and slow our rate of breathing down. Sit up straight in your chair with feet flat on the floor. You can place your hands on the belly if you like. Take a deep slow breathe in, pause, and then breathe out slowly. As we slow and calm our breathing our body and mind naturally calms. Click to learn how Chinese medicine treats Meniere's Disease.

Deep abdominal breathing stimulates the relaxation response in the body. This counteracts the stress mechanism (flight or flight) and our whole body relaxes – heart rate, blood pressure, capillaries dilate, eyes relax and sense of paranoia decreases.

My Grandma always said, when you get upset, stop and take 10 deep breaths. She was right!