Maria talks about diaphragmatic breathing.
In stressful situations we rarely stop to think about what is happening in our bodies. We can be so preoccupied with getting things done, before we know it our health has taken a dive and we’re desperately trying to rebalance, and that can feel difficult to do.
Relaxation can reduce tension and stress by focusing on our thinking and behaviour. Not all problems are easily or quickly resolved, so by concentrating on ourselves and not the problem, using relaxation techniques, we have a practical solution! Being able to relax is going to help you live your life and love the life you live!
Just a few minutes of relaxation is better than none. Maybe take a few deep breaths each time you put the kettle on. Ideally, try to incorporate at least 10 to 20 minutes a day into your schedule for your relaxation practices— or for more stress relief, 30 minutes to an hour. Some relaxation techniques (such as taking a few deep breaths) can be used anytime, anywhere to quickly relax, but please only use relaxation sessions when safe to do so!
Here’s one exercise to try.
1. Breathe in and out normally for 30 seconds, silently counting the number of complete breaths.
2. Once the 30 seconds is up, multiply the number of breaths you have taken by 2. This will give you the number of breaths per minute.
3. If you take more than 8 breaths you'll probably find you breathe from the chest. This can lead to having too much carbon dioxide and not enough oxygen. You might have noticed you yawn more as your body is trying to get what it needs - more oxygen - into the blood stream.
In contrast, the healthiest form of breathing that you can do is diaphragmatic breathing, where you take slow, full breaths from your abdomen, not short breaths from your chest.
Practising for just 5 minutes a day can have significant effects on anxiety and stress. Most of us are unaware of how many breaths we take in, but once we become aware of our breathing we can make a difference to how we feel, think, and behave. Practising this technique every day is great for all your internal organs, helping to make sure they get a healthy supply of blood.
