Deep Belly Breathing

Breathing Technique

Let’s begin.

  1. Sit up in a chair, or stand up, with your feet planted on the ground.
  2. Place one hand on your chest, and the other hand on your belly.
  3. Inhale through your nose and try to send the breath down to your belly, feeling the belly rise against your hand.
  4. Exhale slowly through the nose or mouth and feel how your hand lowers back down as the belly softens and lets go. 
  5. As you inhale, let your belly expand and fill with air. 
  6. As you exhale, notice your belly soften and fall. 
  7. Notice how the hand on your chest remains steady as your belly rises and falls with the breath. 
  8. Repeat for 3-5 minutes.
  9. Once you’ve finished, notice if anything is different from just a few moments ago. Are there any shifts, however tiny or subtle, in how your body feels? See if you can put words to what you notice.

( i ) Deep belly breathing sends a signal along the vagus nerve to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which can reduce the experience of stress and anxiety.

Pen