TM4T Stress Armoury 30 - Deep Breathing and Muscle Relaxation

Deep Breathing

Deep breathing is the simplest but also one of the most effective method of relaxation. It is a component of yoga and Buddhist meditation, and a bedrock of all good sporting advice. It is also inevitably linked to muscle relaxation techniques like progressive muscular relaxation.

In everyday life, most people spend their time breathing shallowly, filling only the upper part of their lungs with air. This shallow breathing limits the amount of oxygen that your body takes in, and it can also make you feel very anxious in times of stress. On the other hand, deep breathing can slow your heart rate, lower your blood pressure, and decrease stress.

Deep breathing takes place when, instead of just breathing with your ribs, you breathe with your diaphragm so that your lower belly expands.

When you breathe like this, your diaphragm moves downward and pulls your lungs along with it. At the same time, it presses your internal organs to make room for your expanding lungs. When you breathe out, your diaphragm pushes upward, helping your lungs to expel carbon dioxide.

There is no mystery to practising deep breathing techniques. Sit comfortably, take a slow, deep breath – ideally through your nose – and instead of swelling your chest, imagine filling your lower belly with air; feel your diaphragm moving downwards and your stomach pushing outwards. Don't forget to breathe out (slowly through the mouth)... and that's it. Repeat until the job is done.

Deep breathing is sometimes called 'breathing from the stomach' as shown below

Progressive Muscular Relaxation (PMR)

Progressive muscular relaxation involves, well heck, you can work it out: relaxing your muscles. This is useful for tackling one of the key symptoms of stress. The idea behind PMR is that you tense up one group of muscles, so that they're tight; hold them in that state of intense tension for a few seconds, and then relax the muscles gently, in the normal way. Focus on the act of relaxing, and remember what the act of relaxation feels like. Then, consciously relax your muscles even more.

Then repeat the process with another set of muscles.

The simple steps of moving from intense tension to deep relaxation helps interrupt your body's adrenalin-fuelled fight-or-flight response when you're feeling stressed.

You can apply this technique to any group of muscles, taking care to avoid muscle-strain if you have already exercised (for, example, don't clench your hamstrings if you have just run a marathon).

Relaxation is just as effective if it is applied to the muscles which are not traditionally exercised. For example, relaxing your facial muscles by raising your eyebrows, closing your eyes tightly, scrunching your nose, or yawning your mouth. One at a time, not all together...

Yawning

Yawning is often associated with boredom.  However, your yawn may sometimes indicate that your body is under stress. In fact, yawning sometimes helps to relieve stress. When you yawn, more air (and therefore more oxygen) enters your lungs, giving you access to more energy. That sad little noise that comes with yawning can also be tension reducing.

In modern society - in schools in particular - we have got used to kind-of-wimpy yawns. A stress-reducing yawn must not be half-hearted. If you feel a yawn coming on, go with it. Open your mouth as wide as you can and inhale more fully than you usual. Take that breath all the way down to your belly. Exhale fully through your mouth, completely emptying your lungs. It feels good, really. Just don't do it during a governor's meeting.