The way we breathe is a reflection of our emotions, and also of our physical health. Very often, it evolves, without our knowing it, with the rhythm of the day: ample and calm when we are relaxed, fast and jerky as soon as stress or anger rises.
Considered natural, breathing is very often forgotten; it is however essential to work and improve your respiratory process, to develop it and make it more efficient while respecting the natural energetic and physiological principles.Breathing mindfully allows you to regain your calm and concentration while providing energy. Discover 4 breathing exercises with sophrologist Clarisse Gardet.
Breathing: the advice of the sophrologist
“Few of us think of breathing as a source of regeneration. Yet it is a simple, effective and easy to implement. For this, it is useful to focus on our breathing, but also to be attentive to his bodily sensations and to recognize his emotions. It is then a question of adopting an appropriate breathing according to his emotional state “, assures the sophrologist Clarisse Gardet, author of Tame your emotions, to live better on a daily basis (ed. Audiolib).
For each subsequent exercise, care must be taken not to tense up or block your breathing. And on a daily basis, remember to loosen your belt a notch and avoid tucking your stomach!
Conscious breathing allows you to concentrate
Do this exercise sitting or standing with your eyes closed.
- Focus your attention on your breathing, without wanting to change it.
- Listen to the breathing movement, the belly rising and falling, like a wave coming and going. Thoughts arise? Don’t dwell on them, let them go and bring your attention back to your breathing. Where is it most present (in the stomach, thorax, throat, etc.)? What is its pace (slow, fast, jerky)? Become aware of this movement.
- Maintain this attention and enjoy this moment of relaxation that sets in. And become aware of your bodily sensations (tingling, micropulsations, sensation of heat in the abdomen…).
What frequency? 15-20 breaths.
What are the benefits? Just being aware of your breathing allows you to disconnect from mental chatter to fully feel your body, here and now. More anchored, we become more present to ourselves and less dispersed (physically and mentally).
Stretching drives away tension
Do this exercise while sitting in a chair.
- Take a deep breath through your nose and simultaneously stretch your arms up (V-shaped) and legs, lifting your feet off the ground and pushing your heels outward.
- Open your mouth to relax the jaw. If a yawn occurs, do not hold it back. Let him express himself …
- Extend the stretch, without straining, by spreading the fingers of the hands and feet (if you wear shoes, just visualize).
- Exhale through your nose with a loud sigh and release your body to return to the starting position.
- Take a few seconds to listen to your body, which breathes and relaxes (tingling, heat…). Feel yourself breathing from head to toe, and to fingertips.
What frequency? 5 times.
What are the benefits? Synchronized with movement, breathing allows tension to be released and brings oxygen to the body to regenerate it.
Contraction – relaxation calms anger
Do this exercise while standing or sitting with your arms at your sides and your eyes closed.
- Inhale slowly through your nose, contracting only the right arm, from the fist to the top of the shoulder, without it becoming painful. The rest of the body is relaxed.
- Block the air, lungs full, for 3 seconds by bringing your anger back to this contracted area.
- Then expel the air by blowing through your mouth, with the idea that the exhale will help you release all that anger out of you.
- Appreciate your bodily sensations for a few seconds.
- Repeat this exercise with the left arm. Then do it with both arms at the same time.
What frequency? 1 or 2 times, if necessary.
What are the benefits? The contraction-relaxation of a part of his body makes it possible to “materialize” his anger and to feel it (without denying it) before expelling it out of oneself.
Abdominal breathing
Abdominal breathing helps to digest better. Practice this exercise lying down with your feet flat on the floor and knees bent. The basin is glued to the ground.
- Place a thick book (a dictionary, for example) on your stomach, at the level of the navel.
- Inhale while inflating the stomach well to lift the weight.
- Breathe out through your mouth, releasing your stomach well. The weight of the object helps in loosening.
What frequency? 10-15 times, then remove the object and observe your natural breathing: it has become fuller and calmer, and the abdominal area has relaxed. To renew during the day, if necessary.
What are the benefits? This abdominal breathing acts as an internal massage of the viscera and regulates intestinal activity. Practiced daily, it can fight against constipation.
