A stressful situation and all of a sudden, the heart races.
An annoyance, and the breath becomes short.
There are many times when anxiety takes over, sometimes leaving us overwhelmed with negative emotions.
To put the event at a distance, the simplest and above all the most effective remedy remains the breathing exercise.
The latter is a gateway to the whole body.
"Studies have shown that through breathing, we regulate the autonomic nervous system, responsible for the vital functions of the body, and therefore linked in particular to the heart", indicates Dominique Servant, psychiatrist and head of the specialized unit. on stress and anxiety at the University Hospital of Lille (1)”.
“When we are anxious, our muscle tone increases.
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Go get some air!
.
In practice, we perform the exercises when we feel the wave of anxiety rising, for 5, 10 or 15 minutes, in the position we want.
For everything to be effective on the day when tension sets in and for you to be comfortable, Dominique Servant recommends training beforehand, with no apparent signs of anxiety.
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Decrease respiratory rate
The exercise couldn't be simpler.
When the tension rises, we focus on slowing down the rhythm of our breathing.
Try to breathe more slowly for at least 5 minutes.
"By doing this, we stimulate the parasympathetic system within our nervous system, the one that relaxes us and slows down the body's functions," explains Denis Fortier.
lengthen the exhalation
As exhalation is associated with this famous parasympathetic system, lengthening it allows relaxation.
To do this, simply exhale slowly and empty all the air present in the lungs.
No need to count, the exhalation must simply be longer than the inspiration.
Take deep breaths
This time, the goal is to lengthen the exhalation as well as the inspiration.
We take in as much air as possible.
Practice for 5, 10 or 15 minutes, depending on your needs.
By lengthening the expiration, we stimulate the parasympathetic system within our nervous system, the one that relaxes us
Denis Fortier, physiotherapist
abdominal breathing
To do this, place your hands on your stomach.
By inhaling, we inflate it, by exhaling, we bring it in, as far as possible.
"By inflating the belly, we stimulate the parasympathetic system, we then find a flexibility of the autonomic nervous system", comments Dr Dominique Servant.
The movement induced by this breathing also helps relieve pain in the stomach and felt during phases of anxiety.
"As the diaphragm is particularly solicited, the movement creates a pressure game that operates a kind of belly massage," adds Denis Fortier.
360 degree breathing
360 degree breathing is inspired by what is known as abdominal breathing.
“Place your hands on both sides of your lower rib cage.
The thumbs are behind the ribs, in the back, the rest of the fingers are in front of the ribs.
Inhale from the abdomen by “pulling out” the belly and inflating the rib cage, so as to feel that the ribs “open” a little forwards, backwards and to the side”, explains Denis Fortier.
(1) Dominique Servant is the author of
More serene.
Stress and inner balance, an alphabet primer,
Odile Jacob, 375 pages, €19.99.
(2) Denis Fortier is the author of several practical guides and book tips and exercises on a YouTube channel.
