A free, always available and suitable remedy against stress for everyone. You've been breathing as long as you live. You don't even think about it for most of the day. Yet your body is busy with it. And does a change in your breathing affect all kinds of other processes. In a negative and positive sense! With these five breathing techniques you bring your body back to rest and balance.
Why do breathing exercises work?
Your breathing is a reflex from the nervous system that activates muscles. The lungs expand to allow air to enter. The oxygen in this air goes to your blood. And that blood is pumped throughout the body.
This automatic process of breathing is controlled by the autonomic nervous system. Conversely, you can also influence the autonomic nervous system with your breathing.
When you are stressed, you often breathe faster and higher. This activates a part of the nervous system that needs to be on in really dangerous situations. A low, steady breath activates another part of the nervous system. This ensures recovery and relaxation.
How is your breathing?
Everyone benefits from breathing exercises. Mothers, children, athletes, young people… it doesn't matter. It also doesn't matter if you have a busy or very quiet life. Wherever you stand, it's good to do breathing exercises daily or weekly.
Do you know how your breathing is now? If you have never consciously paid attention to your breathing, it is not surprising that you do not know whether you have a 'high' or 'low'. You will find out automatically by doing the exercises below. If an exercise feels very difficult and unnatural, you probably unconsciously breathe higher or faster.
In addition, it matters whether you prefer to breathe through your nose or mouth. It is best to breathe through your nose as much as possible. The more you do that consciously, the more you will do it unconsciously.
5 breathing exercises
There are different types of breathing exercises you can choose from. Pick one you like, or alternate. Ahead you will find a list of apps that will guide you through the exercise. But you can also put on some quiet music. Or just enjoy the silence and focus on your breathing.
4-7-8 method
This method is often recommended if you have trouble falling asleep. Because it makes you very calm.
The exercise consists of three parts:
- Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds.
- Hold your breath for 7 seconds.
- Exhale slowly through your mouth for 8 seconds.
This can feel very uncomfortable the first time. Holding your breath for a count of 7 can feel long. Like exhale for 8 counts. You must therefore concentrate on your breathing. It becomes impossible to think about other things. The perfect distraction when you're worrying.
In addition, you force your heart to beat more slowly. When that happens you give your body and it gives a signal that everything is okay and that everything can relax.
Abdominal breathing
You can do abdominal breathing sitting, lying down or standing. Most people prefer to lie down because that is the easiest way to relax your stomach. With abdominal breathing you control your breathing by 'feel' it through your belly. When you inhale, your abdomen and lungs automatically expand to make room for the air. When you lie down, your stomach rises. And on an exhale down again.
Lie down and place one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest. Now inhale through your nose and fill your belly and chest with air. Hold your breath for a moment and exhale slowly. Focus in particular on your abdomen. When stressed, the abdomen moves much less with the breath, because we then tend to breathe 'high'. By bringing the breath 'down' again, the body knows it can relax. Feeling the breath with your hands is also a good distraction from stressful thoughts.
Breathing rate
Simple, but effective. In all breathing exercises, the inhalation is shorter than the exhalation. And that's what ratio breathing is all about. With a 1:2 ratio breathing you make your exhale twice as long as your inhale. This exercise is easy to remember and can always be used. Even if it's only for 3 breaths. This exercise helps immediately.
Ocean Breathing / Ujjayi
The ocean breath comes from the world of yoga. This breathing technique increases concentration, warms the body and makes breathing regular. It energizes and relaxes at the same time. This exercise is a bit more difficult, especially if you have never done it during a yoga class.
It's called ocean breathing because during this exercise you make a sound that resembles the sound of the sea. You breathe in slowly through your nose and then slowly out through your mouth. As you exhale say 'haaaa' softly. It may help to do this in front of a mirror the first time. When the mirror fogs up on the exhale, you are on the right track.
In addition to the sound, the movement of your abdomen is also important. Pull in your navel on the exhale and expand your belly on the inhale.
Nadi Shodhana
This breathing exercise is called the Nadi Shodhana. Like ocean breathing, it is widely practiced during yoga. But it is also something different from all other exercises. He goes like this.
Make sure you sit firmly on the floor or chair. Place your right thumb on your right nostril and inhale deeply through your left nostril. At the end of the inhalation, close your left nostril and exhale through your right nostril. Then inhale through your right nostril and exhale through your left nostril. Because of the focus on changing the nostrils and breathing calmly, you can relax completely.
Apps that can help you
There are many apps that can help you do breathing exercises. Explore for yourself which one you like best. Below are a few apps:
- Prana Breath : Comprehensive free app with no ads. You have paid options in the app, but the free version is more than sufficient.
- The Breathing app ( iOS or Android ): a very simple app where you see a ball expand and contract on the screen at a certain rhythm
- NFD-Adem ( iOS or Android ): app made by the Dutch Association for Physiotherapy following Psychosomatics. Similar to The Breathing app.
- Breathe Easy ( iOS or Android ): An app in which you can choose a shape yourself. Furthermore, it works the same as the above apps.
