Breathing exercise is a direct pathway to our nervous system and a tool for cultivating inner peace. By regulating our breath, we can calm the racing thoughts, soothe the anxious heart, and restore a sense of balance and tranquillity.
Belly Breathing: Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly. Inhale deeply through your nose, allowing your belly to expand.
4-7-8 Breathing: Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, and exhale through your mouth for 8 seconds.
Box Breathing (Square Breathing): Inhale for 4 seconds, hold, exhale, and hold for 4 seconds.
Alternate Nostril Breathing: Close your right nostril and inhale through your left nostril. Close your left nostril with your ring finger and exhale through your right nostril.
Resonant Breathing: Breathe at a rate of approximately 6 breaths per minute, maximizing heart rate variability.
Lion's Breath (Simhasana): Inhale deeply through your nose. Open your mouth wide, stick out your tongue, and exhale forcefully with a 'ha' sound.
Sitali Pranayama (Cooling Breath): Curl your tongue into a tube, inhale through it, and exhale through your nose.
Humming Breath (Bhramari Pranayama): Close your ears with your fingers and hum on the exhale, creating a vibration in your head.