Currently, a large number of people complain of sleep disturbances, poor memory and bad mood. Doctors explain this by constant stress, chronic fatigue syndrome and asthenia. To get rid of illnesses, people take sleeping pills and stimulants, start drinking excessive amounts of alcohol and smoking a lot. However, few people know that if you practice breathing exercises, the nervous system will calm down, stress will subside, and memory and sleep will improve.
What breathing is used for relaxation?
To relax, a person must breathe deeply and slowly. Oxygen is supplied in sufficient quantities, saturating all cells of the body. The pressure in the blood vessels returns to normal, the functioning of all body systems is normalized, brain function improves, the nervous system calms down, and muscle spasms are relieved. A smooth deep breath should be taken not only by the chest, but also by the stomach, then a smooth exhalation should be made; all the air leaves the lungs.
Rapid, shallow chest breathing when trying to calm down will only get in the way. Oxygen in the blood becomes insufficient, tension increases. The body begins to work more intensely, pressure rises: this is necessary to prevent tissue starvation.
Rhythm is important for relaxation: you need to hold your breath briefly before and after each slow breath.
There are 4 breathing practices (techniques/methods) that help you relax:
- Filling of the upper lungs with oxygen. When inhaling, movements of the collarbones are noted.
- Chest breathing. When inhaling and exhaling, movement occurs only in the chest area.
- Abdominal breathing. The abdominal muscles tense, the diaphragm moves, and the internal organs are massaged.
- Wave-like breathing. The previous techniques are alternated.
Read more about each type of breathing later in this article.
Acupressure – acupressure
This method stimulates the production of hormones in the body - endorphins and serotonin, which are a natural sedative. To perform a massage that calms the nervous system, you need to influence the active points:
- One of them can be found on the inside of the chin - in the center. Massage this anti-stress point with circular movements. 9 times in one direction and the same number in the other.
- For two to three minutes, warm up, stretch slightly, and squeeze the middle fingers on your hands.
How breathing during stress helps you calm down
The person focuses on breathing. At the same time, he stops thinking about the problem, its significance decreases. It is easier for a person to concentrate on a decision and choose the right words or actions than when emotions are too strong.
Calming also occurs due to physiological factors. When the brain is well supplied with oxygen, blood pressure normalizes and heart rate stabilizes. The level of carbon dioxide in the blood decreases, causing unpleasant symptoms to disappear: dizziness, nausea, increased irritability. Not only carbon dioxide is removed from the lungs, but also “garbage” caught during inhalation, so oxygen starvation does not occur, and the state of health does not become worse, aggravating the condition.
Introduction
During times of severe stress to which a person is exposed, he needs an increased amount of oxygen compared to normal, since it is consumed faster. But a tense state, which requires extreme concentration of attention, on the contrary, slows down breathing.
Human nervous system
Breathing exercises to calm the nervous system help you cope with what is happening and find yourself in your usual state. Anyone who has learned to breathe correctly can easily control their mood.
Rules for performing breathing exercises
In order not to harm your health, you should follow a number of rules for performing gymnastics.
When performing any exercise, your back should be straight. A person should lie, stand or sit in the lotus position. Experts in the field of psychology recommend closing your eyes, imagining something pleasant, and meditating while performing breathing practices (that is, thinking only about breathing and nothing else).
At first you will have to make a lot of effort to breathe correctly. After some time, however, a person gets used to it and easily performs the exercises. You need to concentrate on the breathing process even when you don’t have to put in a lot of effort. Otherwise, the techniques will not be effective enough.
During training, you should relax your muscles. This should be done gradually, starting from the toes and ending with the face. Those areas where muscle tension most often forms should be given more attention.
Breathing exercises for stress relief involve 5-10 repetitions of each exercise, which will be discussed further. You need to take a short break between different exercises.
Psychologists advise that when you inhale, imagine how positive energy enters the body (you can also study the Chinese practice of Qigong). As you exhale, negative thoughts, emotions, and feelings should come out. Affirmations will also be beneficial. It is better to choose ones that are aimed at relaxation. Particles “not” and “nor” are prohibited.
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Listening to music
This is an excellent way to eliminate excessive excitability, relieve tension, and calm the nerves. It is recommended to listen to music in a quiet environment. For complete relaxation, psychologists advise you to lie down and close your eyes.
However, not all music will bring the body the desired effect. Want to know how to calm your nervous system? Choose motifs whose therapeutic effects are fully confirmed.
It is known that the following works have an excellent therapeutic effect:
- "Moonlight Sonata" (Beethoven).
- "Italian Concerto" (Bach).
- Cantata No. 2 (Bach).
- Symphony No. 45 (Haydn).
- "Ave Maria" (Schubert).
Such melodies are great for calming and relieving stress. You can listen to other motives. The main condition is a calm sound that helps to relax and lift a person’s mood.
Listening to the natural sounds of nature is a wonderful therapy. The sound of the sea, the singing of birds, the rustle of the forest, the patter of rain can help you get rid of stress very quickly.
It has been observed that 30 minutes of music therapy can replace the effects of sedative medications. Melodic sounds eliminate psychological pressures and turn a person to positive emotions.
Of course, such methods cannot change circumstances, but your attitude towards problems will become completely different.
Simple breathing exercises to calm the nervous system
When performing exercises, you need to inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Start with inhalation. It is important to follow the correct breathing technique to achieve the desired effect.
Start with belly breathing. In this case, the stomach should rise as you inhale and fall as you exhale. The duration of inhalation should be 3-4 seconds. Then you need to hold your breath for 2-3 seconds. A complete exhalation is performed in 4-5 seconds.
Another effective exercise is chest breathing. Breathe only from the chest, the stomach should not be involved. Inhale for 3-4 seconds, then hold your breath for a while. Exhale slowly for 4-5 seconds. Then you need to make another short breath-hold, and then repeat the exercise.
The third breathing exercise for stress relief involves using your collarbones to inhale and exhale. The same intervals must be observed.
Then they switch to wave-like breathing. When performing this exercise, you need to inhale, starting from the stomach, then use the chest and collarbones. Exhalation is done in the opposite sequence. It is important to do it measuredly. With this exercise, all tissues of the body are completely saturated with oxygen, and the person calms down.
Medications
For nervousness and increased excitability, modern pharmacology offers many sedatives. Initially, we will focus on effective known means. We are talking about tinctures:
- valerian;
- peony;
- motherwort;
- hawthorn.
Do not forget that any medication must be prescribed by a doctor. Therefore, if the tinctures do not bring the desired effect, go to the doctor. Only he can recommend how to calm the nervous system. The medicine selected by a specialist will suit you completely. And it will have a beneficial effect on the body much faster.
In case of anxiety and severe neuroses, one of the following medications may be prescribed:
- "Adaptol";
- "Tenoten";
- "Haloperidol";
- "Deprim";
- "Fevarin";
- "Cogitum";
- "Dormiplant";
- "Chlorprothixene";
- "Eglonil";
- "Fluoxetine."
Drops have a quick effect:
- "Valocordin";
- "Novopassit";
- "Valoserdin";
- "Negrustin";
- "Corvalol".
For some patients, injections of drugs will be more effective:
- "Haloperidol";
- "Milgamma";
- "Atarax."
Breathing to Relax and Clear the Mind
Breathing exercises for stress include exercises that help get rid of negative thoughts and calm down.
You should inhale through your mouth with your lips closed. Exhale in jerks without opening your lips.
Inhale deeply, while drawing in your stomach. Then stretch your lips into a tube. Push the air out of your chest gradually until your lungs are completely empty. Pause for a few seconds. Repeat several times.
Then you need to pinch your nostrils with your fingers one by one. Inhale and exhale through the nostrils alternately, pinching one or the other with your finger. Inhale and exhale slowly, gradually.
If you pinch your right nostril, the left hemisphere of the brain is stimulated. When the left nostril is compressed, the right hemisphere is stimulated.
Then take a quick deep breath. Then hold your breath for 4 seconds. You need to exhale slowly, smoothly, for a long time. Before inhaling again, you need to pause for 5 seconds.
Activism
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Fashionable is also relevant, and what could be more topical than openly expressing one’s position and supporting thoughts with action?
Moreover, this is not necessarily related to politics and rallies. Activism means volunteering, refusing plastic bags for the sake of the environment, smart consumption that benefits the planet and saves you money, and refusing to buy from unscrupulous brands that are tainted with shameful advertising.
Telling the truth and not being afraid to point out injustice is also quite an activity that requires a lot of mental strength and, of course, time. For example, you will have to read a lot about a topic in order to have a reasoned argument based on facts rather than emotions. In general, there is always something to do, something to strive for and develop.
What you need to get started
To defend your position, you need to form it. To do this, you need to know a lot, constantly pass through large amounts of information and analyze it, be able to be guided not only by your own experience, admitting that it is not universal, and sensibly consider the arguments of your opponents. The biggest work you have to do is work on yourself.
Breathing exercises for sleep
A special technique will help you relax in the evening and fall asleep faster. In the first few days you should not train for more than 2-3 minutes. Then the duration of training needs to be increased. The training process should not be too intense, otherwise you may become alert and make it difficult to fall asleep. If tension or severe fatigue occurs, you need to stop breathing exercises.
Take a smooth deep breath, while gradually inflating the abdominal cavity, then inflating the lower and upper sections of the lungs. Exhale, starting from the lower parts of the lungs, while the stomach should also gradually lower.
If you have insomnia, you can try another technique. For 5 minutes you need to exhale and inhale slowly. You need to focus on your breathing and your own sensations: this will help you relax faster. You need to inhale and exhale through your stomach and chest. In addition, you need to place your palms on the solar plexus to increase efficiency.
