Breatheology: A breathing technique: It is preferable for one to sit down and relax; especially your head and shoulders; as well as the jaw. With the mouth slightly open, rest the tongue at the bottom of the mouth. Inhale and hold your breath, then slowly exhale, each step should be in proportion to each other in the ratio of 1:4:2. That is to say, if you use three seconds to inhale, then hold your breath for twelve seconds, at the end of which use six seconds to slowly exhale (one doesn’t have to follow too strictly to this proportion, just do it in a way that you feel comfortable, listen to your body as it sends you messages). It should result in a slow down heart rate, significantly releasing stress and anxiety. The theory for this is that we have sympathetic nerves which constitute our stress system and the parasympathetic nerves that are the relax and digest systems. The stress system stimulates, organizes and mobilizes our energy resource when we encounter threat or danger. Its changes indicate psychological arousal, produce alertness, so that we can take action. For example, when one is face to face with a roaring tiger in the wild, the adrenaline immediately pumps up enormously and results in an action of instant decision of whether to fight or flight. In our daily lives, the trigger can be stress, anxiety from work or worries. Signals from the brain are sent to this system and result in tired muscle and uptight minds, causing sleep problems, loss of appetite and feeling tired. Using this breathing technique, we tap into the parasympathetic system, resulting in the conservation of energy, psychological relaxation and enable us to rest and digest. The working principle is that when we breathe, we tap into the vagus nerve; the tenth cranial nerve which connects the lower part of the brain to the lung, heart and our internal systems. To inhale is a stressful exercise, our adrenaline rises, and when we exhale physically, we relax and our happy hormones such as dopamine and serotonin are turned on. This breathing exercise can be done at all times, whether one is standing, sitting or lying down. It is very helpful in getting one to sleep. Whenever I have anxiety, it helps me to calm down faster and easier to sleep. Some of my friends and myself have found this breathing technique very effective. The key is the initial first step when one has decided that there is a NEED to relax, therefore you tell your brain you want to relax and relax yourself physically, and finally the breathing technique completes the relaxing process.
中文版:呼吸學:一種放鬆自我的技巧。先坐下來,鬆弛身體,特別是頭部和頸部,讓兩肩垂下,放鬆下腭,口微微張開,把舌頭停於在口腔底部。緩緩吸氣,然後閉上呼吸,最後慢慢地呼出。每個步驟用的時間是以一比四比二的比例。例如最初吸氣時用了三秒鐘,跟着就要屏息呼吸十二秒鐘(四倍)而最後是應該用六秒鐘(二倍)的時間來呼出那口氣的。這樣繼續做,時間長短隨意,直到你感覺到已經身心鬆弛,沒有煩思和憂慮時,就完成了。這個呼吸法隨時可以做,尤其是當你感覺到焦慮時,它是可以令你放緩心跳律,有效地解除壓力和愁煩的。它的基本原理: 我們的壓系統裏是有一種交感神經,而在我們的消化系統和鬆弛系統裏則有一種副交感神經。當我們遇到威脅或危險時,壓力系統就會觸發,組織和動用儲存的能量。它的變動表達了心理上的警惕,產生了警覺性而讓我們去做應對的行動。例如當我們在野外面對着一隻咆哮着的老虎時,我們的腎上腺素會立即暴增而產生即刻想去搏鬥或者立即逃跑的行動念頭。在我們日常生活裏,那觸發器扳機可以是工作上的壓力和焦慮,也可以日常生活中的憂慮。我們的腦子會傳放訊息到這個系統而引致肌肉疲勞和綳緊的思潮而引致睡眠有問題,胃口消失和感到疲倦。運用這個呼吸方法時,我們使用了副交感神經系統,獲得保存了我們的動能量,心理上的鬆弛而使我們能夠休息和進行消化。它的工作程序原理是當我們呼吸時,我們輕輕地運用了迷走神經腺,這颅神经系統裏的第十條神經腺。它接連着人腦下部與肺,心臟和身體內的各個系統。吸氣是一個要用氣力的動作,我們的腎上腺素會有增加上升,但當我們呼氣時,我們的身體在放鬆,肩頭會下垂,而那些能令我們感受到快樂的荷爾蒙,例如多巴胺和血清素就會分泌發放。這個呼吸技術可以在任何時間使用,無論你是站著,坐著或者卧着都能做,是會幫助人們入睡的。每當我感覺到焦慮時,它是非常有效地能讓我很快就安靜下來和容易些入睡,我的朋友和我一樣、都發觉這個呼吸技巧是很有效用的。