Breathing Exercises for Anxiety and Depression
Summary
TLDRVeronica Lombo, a yoga teacher, shares a breathing exercise that has significantly aided her in managing depression and anxiety. She emphasizes the importance of mindful breathing for grounding oneself and calming the nervous system. The exercise involves sitting comfortably, placing hands on the heart and stomach, and focusing on deep, diaphragmatic breathing through the nose. Veronica encourages persistence in practice, as it is key to mastering this technique and overcoming the initial challenges.
Takeaways
- 🧘 Veronica Lombo is a yoga teacher sharing a breathing exercise that has helped her manage depression and anxiety.
- 🌬 Mindful breathing is a powerful tool for staying grounded in the present moment and calming the nervous system.
- 💨 During stress, the initial response is often rapid, mouth breathing, which is not always beneficial for the body or mind.
- 🚫 The fight-or-flight response can lead to chronic fatigue and is not the best response in most cases of stress.
- 🌀 The breathing exercise is designed to help calm the mind amidst a flood of negative thoughts.
- 🧘♀️ To perform the exercise, sit comfortably with a straight spine, hands on the heart and stomach, and eyes closed.
- 👃 Breathe in and out through the nose, focusing on the movement of the stomach as it extends and contracts with the breath.
- 🌀 Practice belly breathing, drawing the breath deep into the abdomen for full, complete inhales and exhales.
- 🤗 Acknowledge the act of breathing in and out as part of the exercise to maintain focus and presence.
- 🕊 Patience is key; the exercise may feel difficult at first but becomes easier with practice.
- 🔁 Consistent practice and perseverance are encouraged, emphasizing the importance of gradual improvement.
Q & A
Who is Veronica Lombo?
-Veronica Lombo is a yoga teacher who is sharing her experience with a breathing exercise that has helped her with depression and anxiety.
What is the purpose of the breathing exercise Veronica Lombo is sharing?
-The purpose of the breathing exercise is to help individuals stay grounded in the present moment, calm their nervous system, and manage stress and anxiety.
Why does the fight-or-flight response occur during stressful moments?
-The fight-or-flight response occurs as a natural reaction to stress, causing rapid and shallow breathing through the mouth, which is not always beneficial for the body or mind in stressful situations.
How can the fight-or-flight response contribute to chronic fatigue?
-The fight-or-flight response can lead to chronic fatigue by causing the body to remain in a state of heightened stress, which can deplete energy reserves over time.
What is the first step in the breathing exercise Veronica Lombo recommends?
-The first step is to get into a comfortable sitting position with the spine straight.
Where should you place your hands during the breathing exercise?
-You should place your left hand on your heart and your right hand on your stomach.
What is the focus of the breathing during the exercise?
-The focus should be on breathing in and out through the nose, feeling the stomach gently extend out when inhaling and pull in when exhaling.
Why is it important to breathe into the belly during the exercise?
-Breathing into the belly helps to engage diaphragmatic breathing, which is more calming and efficient, promoting relaxation and a deeper connection with the breath.
What should you do if you find the breathing exercise difficult at first?
-If the exercise feels difficult, don't feel discouraged. It takes practice, so keep trying and be patient with yourself.
How can practicing this breathing exercise regularly impact one's mental health?
-Regular practice of this breathing exercise can help manage negative thoughts, reduce anxiety, and improve overall mental well-being by promoting mindfulness and relaxation.
What is the key takeaway from Veronica Lombo's message about the breathing exercise?
-The key takeaway is that mindful breathing can be a powerful tool for managing stress and anxiety, and with consistent practice, it can become easier and more beneficial.
Outlines
🧘♀️ Mindful Breathing for Mental Health
Veronica Lombo, a yoga teacher, introduces a breathing exercise designed to alleviate the symptoms of depression and anxiety. She emphasizes the importance of mindful breathing in grounding oneself and calming the nervous system. Veronica explains that during stressful moments, our breathing can quickly escalate into a fight-or-flight response, which is often counterproductive. She provides a step-by-step guide on how to perform the exercise, which includes sitting comfortably, placing hands on the heart and stomach, and focusing on nasal breathing that engages the diaphragm. Veronica encourages persistence with the practice, acknowledging that it can be challenging at first but will become easier with time.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Breathing Exercise
💡Yoga Teacher
💡Mindful Breathing
💡Fight-or-Flight Response
💡Chronic Fatigue
💡Depression
💡Anxiety
💡Grounding
💡Nervous System
💡Practice
💡Stomach Breathing
Highlights
Veronica Lombo shares a breathing exercise that has helped her with depression and anxiety.
Veronica is a Yoga teacher and emphasizes the power of mindful breathing.
Mindful breathing can help stay grounded in the present moment and calm the nervous system.
During stress, the first thing to go is breath, leading to hyperventilation and rapid mouth breathing.
This rapid breathing is a fight-or-flight response that often isn't needed and can contribute to chronic fatigue.
The breathing exercise can help calm the mind and bring one back to the surface amidst negative thoughts.
One should sit comfortably with a straight spine for the exercise.
Place the left hand on the heart and the right hand on the stomach to feel the breathing process.
Close the eyes and focus on breathing in and out through the nose.
Feel the stomach gently extend out when breathing in and pull in when breathing out.
The breath should be brought down into the belly, not just the chest.
Be aware of the breathing process - knowing when you are breathing in and out.
Take full, complete inhales and slow, complete exhales for the exercise.
It's normal to find the exercise difficult at first, and practice is key.
Persistence is important, even if the exercise feels challenging initially.
Transcripts
Hi. My name is Veronica Lombo.
And today, I'm going to share with you
a breathing exercise that has helped me tremendously
in my struggle with depression and anxiety.
I'm Yoga teacher.
And from the practice of yoga,
I've learned how powerful and how helpful
mindful breathing can be
in staying grounded in the present moment
and in calming your nervous system.
In the beginning of a stressful moment or break down,
first thing that starts to go is my breath.
And next thing you know,
I'm hyperventilating and breathing rapidly
through my mouth.
This is the fight-or-flight response and, in most cases,
it's not what your body or your mind needs.
And it can also contribute to chronic fatigue.
When you feel like you're drowning
in a sea of negative thoughts,
this breathing exercise can help calm you
and bring you back to the surface.
Get into a comfortable sitting position
with your spine straight.
Place your left hand on your heart.
Place your right hand on your stomach.
Close your eyes.
Notice you're breathing in by your nose
and out by your nose.
As you breathe in,
feel your stomach gently extend out.
As you breathe out,
feel your stomach gently pull in.
Bring your breath down into your belly.
Breathe in. I know I'm breathing in.
Breathe out. I know I'm breathing out.
Take full, complete inhales.
And pull slow, complete exhales.
Don't feel discouraged if this feels difficult.
Like everything in life,
it takes practice.
Keep trying
and just keep putting one foot in front of the other.
関連動画をさらに表示
Wim Hof breathing tutorial by Wim Hof
This Simple Trick Can Raise Your Vibrations Instantly | VIBRATIONAL SECRETS
5-Minute Breathing Exercise / Meditation for Improving HRV | Rick Rubin & Dr. Andrew Huberman
How To Breathe When Running
Asleep in 60 seconds: 4-7-8 breathing technique claims to help you nod off in just a minute
Fear and anxiety of public speaking
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)