Breathing Exercises for Anxiety and Depression

HealthyPlace Mental Health

24 Aug 201702:24

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

00:00

🧘‍♀️ 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

A breathing exercise is a technique used to control and regulate the breath, often for relaxation or to manage stress. In the video, Veronica Lombo emphasizes the importance of this practice in combating depression and anxiety, illustrating its use by guiding the viewer through the process of mindful breathing to stay grounded and calm the nervous system.

💡Yoga Teacher

A yoga teacher is an individual who instructs others in the practice of yoga. Veronica Lombo identifies herself as a yoga teacher, indicating her expertise and the source of her knowledge about the power of mindful breathing. Her professional background lends credibility to the breathing exercise she shares.

💡Mindful Breathing

Mindful breathing is the act of focusing one's attention on the breath to achieve a state of relaxation and presence. The video's theme revolves around this concept, as Veronica explains how it can be helpful in managing stress and anxiety by staying in the present moment and calming the nervous system.

💡Fight-or-Flight Response

The fight-or-flight response is a physiological reaction that occurs in response to a perceived harmful event or threat to survival. In the script, Veronica describes how this response can be triggered during stressful moments, leading to rapid, shallow breathing, which is counterproductive to what the body or mind needs during such times.

💡Chronic Fatigue

Chronic fatigue is a state of persistent and unexplained tiredness that is not directly proportional to exertion and does not improve with rest. Veronica mentions it as a potential consequence of the fight-or-flight response and rapid breathing, highlighting the importance of the breathing exercise in preventing such a state.

💡Depression

Depression is a mood disorder characterized by persistent sadness, loss of interest in activities, and a decrease in energy. Veronica shares her personal struggle with depression and how the breathing exercise has been beneficial in her journey, tying it to the video's theme of mental health and well-being.

💡Anxiety

Anxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. The video addresses anxiety as one of the issues the breathing exercise can help with, as Veronica discusses her own experiences and the exercise's role in managing it.

💡Grounding

Grounding is the process of becoming aware of one's surroundings and focusing on the present moment to reduce anxiety and stress. In the context of the video, grounding is achieved through mindful breathing, which Veronica suggests as a way to stay present and calm during stressful situations.

💡Nervous System

The nervous system is a complex network of nerves and cells that transmit signals between different parts of the body. Veronica discusses how mindful breathing can calm the nervous system, which is integral to the video's message about managing stress and anxiety.

💡Practice

Practice refers to the act of performing an activity repeatedly to improve skill or mastery. Veronica encourages viewers to practice the breathing exercise, emphasizing that like everything in life, it requires consistent effort and repetition to see improvement.

💡Stomach Breathing

Stomach breathing, also known as diaphragmatic breathing, involves breathing deeply into the diaphragm, causing the stomach to expand and contract. Veronica instructs the viewer to engage in stomach breathing during the exercise, which is a key component of the technique she is teaching.

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.