How to Relax in 5 Easy Steps with Breath Meditation
By now, you’ve probably heard how beneficial yoga and meditation can be. Deep breathing and focused thoughts have the power to get rid of stress and help you feel relaxed. But you don’t necessarily need to sign up for a class to achieve those benefits.
Here, we’ll go over the sizable difference that practicing a few simple breathing techniques can make on your physical and emotional well-being. If you feel frequent stress and anxiety, your doctor may recommend similar breathing techniques. Contact one of Carthage Area Hospital’s primary care providers to learn more about your options.
How to Relax Through Breathing
- Find a quiet place. There’s a reason why yoga instructors talk so softly and why the studio is usually silent. A quiet, comfortable place to rest can help you relax and focus more quickly.
- Get comfortable. When it comes to meditation, you can sit in whatever position feels most comfortable to you. Try sitting cross-legged with your hands folded or even lying down on your back.
- Take deep breaths. Spend at least 10 to 20 minutes taking deep breaths in and out. If you find it difficult to focus on breathing for that long, start with just a few minutes and increase the time as you’re able. Filling your lungs with oxygen helps slow down your heartbeat, lower your blood pressure and encourages your body to enter a tranquil state. It’s also important to breathe slowly, as breathing too fast can feel like your body is anxious or under stress.
- Focus your thoughts. While breathing, use this opportunity to escape from all the stressful thoughts running through your mind, like an over-flowing to-do list or health problems. Instead, imagine your “happy place” or any peaceful image. You can also say encouraging, calming words and phrases in your mind, like “I am strong.” Going over all the things in life you are grateful for may help provide clarity as well.
- Explore other techniques. Aside from these simple breathing practices that you can do every day, there are also other techniques available to help you relax. Whether you like yoga, tai chi, guided imagery, progressive muscle relaxation or something else, they’re all just different forms of meditation. Once you get the hang of relaxation breathing on your own, try branching out to explore one of these methods.
The Importance of Breath Meditation
Anytime you feel stressed, anxious, overwhelmed or upset, breath meditation can help. It can even make you feel more calm and clear-headed throughout the rest of the day to benefit you in more ways than one.
Dealing with stress or anxiety? Contact the Carthage Family Health Center or the Philadelphia Medical Center to schedule an appointment with a doctor and discuss a variety of ways you can reduce stress to improve your physical and mental health.