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When we are nervous or stressed, we tend to take shallow breaths using only the upper sections of our lungs. This prevents us from getting enough oxygen to calm ourselves down. When practicing the mindful breathing activities below, imagine that there is a balloon in your belly that you have to inflate - this will help you get oxygen to all parts of your lungs.
The 4-7-8 Method
close your eyes and focus on how you are feeling
breath in through your nose for the count of four
hold that breath in for the count of seven
slowly let it out for the count of eight
Starfish Breathing
hold your hand in front of you, palm facing upwards
concentrate on how you are feeling at the moment
using the pointer finger of your other hand, slowly trace the edge of your thumb upwards, breathing in deeply through your nose.
when you get to the top of your thumb, pause and hold that breath for a few counts
exhale as you slowly trace the edge of your thumb downwards
repeat for all the fingers on your hand
Triangle Breathing
draw a hand-sized triangle on a piece of paper
start at the bottom left corner of the triangle, and using your pointer finger, trace one leg upwards, inhaling for a count of four
hold that breath as you slowly trace the second leg of the triangle downwards for a count of four
slowly exhale through your mouth for a count of eight as you trace the last leg, arriving back at your starting point
repeat four or five times
Guided Mindful Breathing Exercise
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