Relaxation Tips Newsletter

I'm Candi, with Inner Health Studio. Welcome to Edition 11 of Inner Health Studio Relaxation Tips.

In This Issue....

Inner Health Studio Updates and News
New Relaxation Scripts
Tip of the Month: Deep Breathing... the "Right" Way to Breathe?

Inner Health Studio Updates and News

Right now the Ask Inner Health Studio Podcast is on hold because I'm taking some time to record audio tracks for an upcoming relaxation CD. Please continue to send your questions - I'll post Q&A in the Members Only area.

New Relaxation Scripts:

Peaceful Waves Relaxation This peaceful waves relaxation script describes relaxing by the ocean at dawn while you watch the small, calm waves move rhythmically.

Learn an Instrument Meditation Feeling relaxed and confident can help you learn an instrument or other new skill more easily. This meditation aims to help increase confidence and motivation when learning to play an instrument.

Public Speaking Visualization This public speaking visualization is a guided imagery script uses visualization to allow you to imagine yourself calmly and successfully speaking in public.

Calm Stretching Relaxation This calm stretching relaxation will guide you to relax with a brief stretching routine.

Tip of the month: Deep Breathing... the "Right" Way to Breathe?

Have you ever experienced confusion or frustration when trying to comply with "deep breathing" methods you have been taught?

In this article I hope to address some of the common mistakes people make with deep breathing, and describe how to effectively use deep breathing for relaxation.

Many people find that "deep breathing" is ineffective, frustrating, and feels unnatural. Perhaps this is due to the technique being used, and the incorrect belief that the way we breathe naturally is "wrong."

The human body knows how to breathe, but at times, we breathe shallowly and could benefit from breathing more deeply - especially when experiencing anxiety or stress.

Typical instruction on deep breathing instructs you to breathe with the diaphragm. There is nothing wrong with breathing with the diaphragm (that is what it's for), but this is not something that needs to be done consciously - it is automatic.

Conventional methods of breathing deeply insist that if you are breathing the "right" way, your stomach will move and your chest will not. Think about this logically for a moment. Your lungs are located in your chest. When you breathe, your lungs fill with air. How, exactly, is the chest to remain still when that is where the air is going? Why would just the stomach expand as the chest fills with air?

There is a reason it feels unnatural to try to only move your stomach when you breathe - it is unnatural!

Normal, natural breathing results in expansion of the entire thorax. The ribcage will expand out to the front and sides as the lungs fill with air. The chest will expand the most, and the stomach will move a bit too. The diaphragm moves down with each inhalation, drawing air into the lungs.

Often when attempting to breathe deeply, we concentrate on breathing in. This can result in not emptying the lungs completely, which leads to decreased oxygen exchange. Trying to breathe more air into lungs that are already full is not very effective.

I believe that some of the conventional methods of deep breathing can lead us to try to breathe in an unnatural way that is not comfortable or relaxing.

Here are some of the common mistakes people make with deep breathing:

- Mistakenly thinking that "deep" breathing means "big" breathing; taking huge breaths of air and becoming lightheaded
- Forcing the stomach in and out while trying not to move the chest
- Focusing primarily on inhaling, trying to take too much air in - Breathing too quickly

Deep breathing can be very effective for relaxation if it is used correctly. The best way to breathe deeply:

- Focus on breathing more slowly (e.g. breathe out for several seconds)
- Exhale completely - the breath in will be automatic
- Let your body move naturally - you have been breathing all your life and your body knows how to do this

By following these guidelines you can experience deep breathing that is comfortable, effective, and relaxing.