Coronavirus has brought us into a difficult time, and it is causing many of us stress and anxiety. For those of you who are feeling a bit stressed out or are finding it hard to relax, we have some simple but effective breathing techniques and tips that can help you to relieve this stress.
Firstly, get comfortable. You can sit, lie down or stand, just get into a position where you can be comfortable for 5 minutes. Try to avoid crossing your legs or arms in order to open up your body, making it easier to take deeper breathes.
Once you are comfortable, without pushing or forcing it, breathe in through your nose heavily until your lungs are filled.
Then slowly begin to exhale the air through your mouth. Some people find that exhaling through the nose is easier and feels more natural so do whatever feels best for you.
Repeat this a couple of times and then try to count to 5 as you breathe in. Once you get to 5, exhale slowly counting to 5 again as you exhale. If you cannot get to 5 without struggling or forcing it, don’t force yourself, just keep going until your capacity. As you continue to keep breathing in heavily and counting, you will notice that your capacity will increase, and you will be able to hold more air.
Try to do this exercise for about 5 minutes, and after you should begin to feel more relaxed and your muscles will begin to feel loose.
Hopefully this helps you to combat any stress you have been feeling recently, and if you know anyone else who has been struggling, be sure to help them out and share this technique with them.