Breathing exercises are quiet a recommendation these days but often writes suggest of these but fail to guide them the right approach. The requirements just include a comfortable place and position with preferably empty stomach or else 2 hours after a meal and an hour after a drink. The following is a very simple tabulation to gear with breathing techniques with ease.

SIMPLE BREATHING EXERCISE: the foundation step.

      Sit in a comfortable position in a well ventilated atmosphere, with straight back, head up and relaxed shoulders, now, slowly close your eyes

      Just try to concentrate on the breathing pattern and any thinking bothering you, let it be. Just breathe in and breathe out

      inhale via the nose and exhale through the mouth

      Try to deepen the process with every breath and then exhale

      Repeat gently for about 10 minutes, do not rush, and finally you will reach the stage of relaxation and peace.

• Tips and precautions: Eyes will remain close during the whole procedure. Hurrying up will not fetch anything, be gentle and slow. Never force yourself; maintain a comfortable level. Heart patients, people with respiratory difficulties and pregnant females should begin strictly under guidance.

BREATHING UP: the next level

Once you have mastered with the simple breathing exercise, it is time to take a step forward.

      Begin with simple breathing exercise for about 3-4 minutes, later, exhale completely. Then, gently inhale through your nose.

      Expand your belly with air as much as possible, then gradually expand your chest and at the end lift up your shoulders to fill the last bit of lung volume.

      After you are full with air just briefly pause the breathing, maintaining the comfortable zone.

      Now let the air move smoothly via your mouth, simultaneously try to pull up your stomach to exhale out the last bit of air.

      Repeat similar breaths for about 10 minutes, concentrating on the breaths and filling up your respiratory tools to the upper limit.

• Tips and precautions: same as mentioned earlier, in addition, people with recent history of any surgical procedure, particularly in the abdominal region should not try to practice on their own.

RAPID RELAXATION BREATH

Allen Elkin, a psychologist practicing at The Stress Management and Counselling Centre in New York, strongly recommends of this technique to escape stressful scenarios.

      Start with simple breathing exercise and continue for about 3-4 minutes.

      Now take a deep breath and hold it to your maximum limit. Simultaneously, press the tips of your thumb and the fore finger (as if you are making an okay sign). Continue till you can maximally hold. Then gently exhale through your mouth and release the pressure from the fingers.

      Savour the sensation for a while and then again repeat it, continue for about 5-8 minutes.

      With every breath you can feel the calming effect leaving you relaxed and fresh.

• Tips and precautions: same as mentioned earlier

SEVEN/ELEVEN BREATHING TECHNIQUE

It is one of the most popular and widely practiced.

      Start with simple breathing exercise for about 3-4 minutes

      Start counting from one to seven at a moderate pace (without making any noise i.e. just in your mind) and at the same time inhale through your nose; at the end of each equally spaced count. In simple words, breathe in for a count of 7.

      You can hold for a couple of seconds at the bottom of the out breath if that's comfortable for you

      Finally, breathe out for a count of 11 through your nose.

      Breathing out must be longer than breathing in.

      Continue for about 8-10 minutes and feel the increasing sensation of lightness in your body.

• Tips and precautions: Note that here all the breathing is to be conducted through the nose. The amount of air inhaled at each count should be small and equal. Each count should be equally spaced. The counting should neither be too fast nor too slow. If 7/11 is not comfortable then one can start with 5/7.

There may be some difficulty on the initial phase but with regular practice maximum benefits can be drained out. They can be used absolutely anywhere, at home, in office, just before sleep, without spending a penny. Long term use of these techniques lowers down stress and anxiety level. Just twice a day for about 5-10 minutes each time can make all the difference.