This post is also available in: हिन्दी (Hindi)
It is a type of deep breathing method which is majorly used by US Navy seals. It is also called square breathing.
It is a simple and a very effective method to relax an individual and reduce stress levels.
Deep breathing helps in relaxation of the mental as well as physical health.
• Helps to calm the mind.
• It reduces anxiety, stress, and depression. After 20 sessions shows a significant reduction in the stress hormone (cortisol).
• Helps in establishing a better emotional balance
• The slow breathing (6 breaths/minute) helps in the activation of the relaxation system (parasympathetic nervous system ) by reducing the heart rate and respiratory rate.
• Beneficial to control blood pressure.
• It helps in increasing mental attention and focus.
Find a quiet and calm place to perform your breathing exercise. A place free of all the hustling helps in better focusing on yourself.
Sit in a comfortable position, keep your legs crossed on a mat, or you can sit straight on a chair with your palms kept on your thighs facing upwards.
Once you are ready, start by emptying your lung, breathe out completely and then follow the steps mentioned below.
1. Breathe in slowly through your nostrils, counting slowly, starting from 1 to 5 in your head.
2. Then hold your breath for another slow count of 5.
3. Now slowly breathe out while again counting slowly till 5.
4. At last, hold your breath for another slow count of 5.
These four steps complete a single cycle of box breathing, which is referred as a box. Repeat the same cycle following the above steps.
• If you are new to practicing box breathing, start with a slow count of 3. Inhale while counting till 3, hold for another count of 3, exhale slowly at the count of 3, and hold again for another slow count of 3.
• As you gain experience, you can increase the counts from 3-3-3-3 to 4-4-4- and then to 5-5-5-5 or more.
• Start practicing box breathing for a minimum of 5 minutes daily, and slowly you can do it for 10 minutes or more.
• Include Box breathing practice in your waking up routine.
• Practice box breathing when you feel anxious or are under stressful conditions.
A single targeted dose of radiotherapy could be as effective at treating breast cancer as a full course, a long-term…
The loss of smell that can accompany coronavirus is unique and different from that experienced by someone with a bad…
Editors of The Lancet and the New England Journal of Medicine: Pharmaceutical Companies are so Financially Powerful They Pressure us…
What are finger foods? Any solid food that can be eaten directly with hands rather than with utensils like a…
Raising your kid as a team Parenting is a rewarding feeling for both partners. However, along the way, it often…
What is the postpartum period? A postpartum period is the time interval during which a mother recovers after giving birth.…
How generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is treated? The treatment of generalized anxiety disorder is decided on the basis of severity…
How generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is diagnosed? Before getting into the diagnosis details of GAD, learn about what is generalized…
Mindfulness – the practice of being present in the moment – has gained traction in the West over the last…