Breath Awareness Exercises
Breathing Exercises
Want to build your brain power to manage day to day stressors? We invite you to try out the following breathing exercises and pick one which resonates and practice it often (daily for one full minute; 5-10 minutes is better). These exercises will build your awareness of your moment-to-moment experience and tap into the quieting Parasympathetic Nervous System. Even a short daily practice will have a big impact over time.
Breath Awareness Exercise
Sitting in an up-right position or laying down on your back, find a comfortable position you can sustain for a few minutes.
Release any unnecessary tension and gently bring your awareness to your breath.
You only need to observe your breath, do not change anything.
Observe the movements and sensations in your body with each inhalation and exhalation.
Let your attention travel with the air passing through your nose and throat to your lungs, feeling the expansion of the chest and belly.
Continue doing this for a few minutes.
Box Breathing exercise
Set a timer for five minutes.
Sit with a straight back on the floor or in a chair with your feet flat on the ground.
Close your eyes and inhale for a count of four.
Hold your breath for a count of four.
Exhale for a count of four.
Hold for a count of four.
Repeat until the alarm sounds.
Three by three mindfulness exercise
One can practice this anywhere and double it to a six by six.
Look around and quietly name one thing you see. (I see a book)
Take a full breath in, and at the top of the breath, take in another quick small breath, hold for 4 seconds and then completely empty your lungs.
Repeat two or five more times using the same process of naming one object you see followed by a breath.
Anna Enright, DNP, PCNS-BC
