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Having suffered with generalized anxiety / washing machine brain etc for decades i have always had an interest in ways to calm the mind. Unfortunately I found alcohol very quick and effective which led to eventual addiction and much suffering ( all history now). Anyhow ..I have also had an interest in breathwork and meditation etc and so thought I'd share one technique that I came across by accident ..It simply involves making your outbreath at least twice as long as your in breath . Apparently this ratio directly stimulates the vagus nerve which the activates the parasympathetic nervous system which in turn aids rest/digest , general relaxation and hence a quieter mind.
I came across it by accident when in India .I was experiencing unpleasant anxiety ( caused by excessive alcohol the previous day ) on a beach in kerala and began to feel very ill at ease. I decided to go for a walk and as I walked i began to extend the outbreath and kind of hum during the expiration ( i don't know why ) . After a while I felt a sense of calm come over me and my mind settled and basically the rest of the day was anxiety free.
I recently read an article about the vagus nerve being stimulated by this type of breathing and it all clicked ..that was obviously what had happened. I have also thought that perhaps this is the reason the mantra AUM or OM is so popular as to repeat it requires the longer outbreath. Finally if you think about it whenever someone is humming or whistling they are doing the same and generally those activities are done by people feeling happy and relaxed ...Is it the vagus nerve once again ?
I'm Not really sure why I shared this observation and expect some to take the mickey but..perhaps it will help some others ..I know certain pranayama ( yogic breathwork ) involves humming like a bee etc to gain the same effect.
I have also experienced a calming effect from alternate nostril breathing and quite a high from the WIM HOFF breathing technique which I thought others might mention. I would like to try holotropic breathwork too.
Does anyone have experience of other powerful techniques ?
That's interesting.
One of my kids suffers from anxiety after the slightest setback. I'll pass this on.
I always said scuba diving made me nice and relaxed, wonder if this has something to do with it.
If anyone fancies giving it a try you need to take a breath in to say a count of four (abdominal breath) then breath out to a count of at least 8 . It's easier to do the outbreath by humming or making a kind of Darth Vader type noise!.Try and relax in to it and continue for 5,10 or perhaps 20 mins and let everything slow down of it's own accord.
Pranayama (breath control) is a core part/the foundation of yoga practice - in all its various forms. Bhramari (bee breath), ujjayi (the darth Vader sound), alternate nostril breathing, kapalabhati etc are all good to try. It is worth attending a class for technique & yes stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system is a key reason why these & related practices are good for you. Yoga is very holistic from this perspective - without the breath part you are basically just making shapes!
Just commenting to save on profile!
ART ..you obviously know a bit about Yoga ..I presume by practice. I must say though ..I do think the asanas are able to quieten the mind also as a result of the focus and concentration it requires to perform correctly. Of course the breathing side of things is also very important and the combination not only increases flexibility but induces a lovely warm sense of calm at the end of a session . (IME)
Another thing i haven't mentioned is also re nasal breathing. most of my life I have suffered with a blocked nose and as a result have done a lot of mouth breathing . Since recently starting a regular course of beconase things have improved dramatically and I find the ability to breathe gently through the nose also induces a calming effect. I believe this is often mentioned in Yoga and the scientific explanation is something to do with nitric oxide ? ...just googled and there is a connection somewhere and also with humming funnily enough! if interested
Another link here
and https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/the-athletes-way/201905/longer-exhalations-are-easy-way-hack-your-vagus-nerve here
interesting thought.
reading it laid out like this makes me think of smoking - how people sometimes say it helps them 'calm down', and in they're basically doing what you outline above; inhaling a bit then exhaling much more slowly, and in a controlled manner where they're very aware of their breathing.
(the fact that they've usually gone outside for 5 minutes probably helps too)
Yes, quietening the mind is all part of practice whether it's breath work or asana. That said plenty of us find meditative benefits from other practices, like riding a bike!
ART - Yogi/ YTT 200 hr qualified/ always learning 🙂
Edit ps- Abi 'yoga for mountain bikers' of PinkBike fame is a great resource
On a similar vein, look up the 4-7-8 breathing technique. Seems to get me relaxed and back to sleep when suffering from insomnia.
I've been told about different ratios over the years, I think the main thing is that it just makes you focus on your breathing, so you aren't focusing on other anxious thoughts.
Anxiety is all about negative thoughts getting out of control.
This is probably one of the reasons swimming is so relaxing. Breathe in on one stroke and exhale over the following 3.
Plus I get to swim in the river so it is even nicer
Of course the breathing side of things is also very important
Vital, to use a particularly appropriate word. Yoga has been hijacked by the fitness/body-beautiful world but all those yoga positions should be accompanied by a certain approach to breathing. It works, and anybody should be able to feel the relaxing benefits on their first session.