Mindful Breathing for Stress Management

Mindful Breathing is a combination of the mindfulness meditation practices of being present, refraining from judgment and demonstrating self compassion while engaged in deep diaphragmatic breathing. The first aspect is learning deep breathing techniques that utilize the diaphragm to expand the lower abdomen to increase the volume of air in the lower lungs on the inhalation. The inhalation of air through the nose is slow and deliberate allowing the diaphragm to lower as the lower lobes of the lungs fill with air. As the air is exhaled, and the diaphragm lifts to expel the air from the lower lungs. This cycle of breathing is not automatic and must be controlled through focused practice. During the inhalation and exhalation the mind is engaged by naming “in” and “out” breaths, counting breaths, or using a short mantra or repeated phrase to bring attention to the breathing cycle.

Early in your practice you will learn about the importance of diaphragmatic or abdominal breathing. You can observe this type of breathing in children who instinctively breath deeply, relying on their lower lungs to expand and contract effortlessly. As adults, we harbor our tension in our muscles and restrict most breathing to our upper lungs. This type of upper chest breathing is far less effective for oxygenating our blood, and results in over-breathing. Many people notice that when they are under stress their breathing accelerates and that they hyperventilate and over-breathe relying on shallow breaths rather than lower-deeper breathing from the diaphragm. This is just one example of how stress causes us to over breathe. Although breathing is autonomic (involuntary and part of your autonomic nervous system), we can train our bodies to breathe more consciously and effectively. Abdominal breathing requires us to slow down and to reteach our bodies to work more efficiently. It also allows us to focus our attention on our breathing, which we frequently take for granted because it is regulated for us by our autonomic nervous system. We can gently take back control from our body and learn how to breathe deeply by practicing simple diaphragmatic breathing exercises to calm our bodies and our minds.

In this non-narrated video you can review the technique for diaphragmatic breathing and practice while watching a one minute ocean video.  The goal is to practice diaphragmatic breathing while sustaining your attention for one full minute. 

In this non-narrated video you can review the technique for diaphragmatic breathing and practice while watching a two minute ocean video.  The goal is to refine your practice of diaphragmatic breathing.