Recently I listened to a guided meditation by Tamara Levitt on my Calm iPhone app where she led listeners through an interesting exercise that taught me something new about breathing.
First Levitt had me breathe for a minute, using my usual breathing. I recall that no counting was done with this first exercise. Then she asked listeners to breathe more slowly, and to count those breaths for a minute that she timed. I had six in and out breaths during that minute.
Then Levitt said to breathe slowly again, but to extend the duration of each in breath by inhaling more deeply when it seemed that no more air could be taken in, and also to extend the duration of each out breath by exhaling more deeply when it seemed that no more air could be expelled.
She timed that minute also. I had four in and out breaths during that minute.
Levitt then talked about how deep breathing of this sort activates a relaxation response in the brain. So she recommended using the extra-deep-breathing technique if someone is anxious about a doctor visit, presentation at work, or whatever.
I've been experimenting with this in my own life and it does seem to work, seemingly for two reasons.
One is that the body does respond to slow deep breathing by relaxing, since fast shallow breathing is associated with a stress response, as when you're worried about being attacked by a stranger on a dark deserted sidewalk.
The other reason is that slow deep breathing, where I inhale and exhale more air past the point where I usually think I've done a full inhalation and exhalation, requires me to concentrate on my breath -- which means my mind isn't full of thoughts about a situation that is making me anxious.
This is different from merely following my breath, something I've been doing for a long time in my mindfulness and meditation practice. A BBC story (registration may be required), Why slowing your breathing helps you relax, talks about this difference.
Recent scientific research has shown that while quick, shallow and unfocused breathing may contribute to a host of problems, including anxiety, depression and high blood pressure, cultivating greater control over our lungs can bring many benefits to our mental and physical health. Intriguingly, scientists are finding that a particular frequency of breath – at around six exhalations a minute – can be especially restorative, triggering a “relaxation response” in the brain and body.
...Indeed, you may be forgiven for wondering whether breathwork is simply another name for mindfulness, given that many meditation courses already encourage participants to focus their attention on their inhalation and exhalation.
Mindfulness, however, tends to involve passive observation – “watching the breath” – whereas breathwork requires you to actively change the way you breathe. This includes ensuring that you breathe with your diaphragm (rather than the movement of your chest) so that you can fill your lungs with more air, while consciously slowing the pace of your breathing from your resting average.
According to practitioners, those slow, deep breaths set off a cascade of physiological responses that accelerate your descent into a more complete state of relaxation, compared to more passive mindfulness exercises.
“It acts as a speed ramp into the meditation practice, helping to calm the mind quicker so that you get more bang for your buck while meditating,” explains Richie Bostock, a breathwork coach based in London whose book, Exhale, will be published later this year. “In fact, I call some of the routines I teach ‘Meditation on Rocket Fuel’ because of the profound effect it has on calming the mind quickly and getting you to that place of no-thought.”
I just ordered Bostock's book, so will have more to say about this subject after I try the breathing exercises he recommends. Here's another article from Harvard Health Publishing to peruse, Relaxation techniques: Breath control helps quell errant stress response.
This is a great example of how the mind and body are intimately related. We are physical beings having a physical experience, not the oft-quoted and misleading We are spiritual beings having a physical experience. That way leads to some serious pitfalls, including a dissociation between our mind and body.
Smiling is an even easier thing to do than control the breath. Research shows that smiling can trick your brain into feeling happier, something that seems true when I try it. Here's another story that makes the same point: Forcing a Smile May Improve Your Mood, Study Suggests.
Breathing differently, slowing down, certainly can help the body calm down.
But it is also true that believing you are stressed can add unnecessary stress and damage the body:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-the-stress-response
Actors use sense memory movements to help them create the right emotions for their character and scene. So behavior is indeed linked to psychological experience.
But thoughts and expectations can also change our physical response and our mental performance.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/your-thoughts-can-release-abilities-beyond-normal-limits/
What thoughts you choose to put your mind on, can alter the physical state of your brain and body. What you tell yourself, your body attempts to help you get there.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/positive-thinking/art-20043950
According to the Mayo Clinic, from the article above, positive thinking can change your health in significant ways:
"The health benefits of positive thinking
"Researchers continue to explore the effects of positive thinking and optimism on health. Health benefits that positive thinking may provide include:
"Increased life span
"Lower rates of depression
"Lower levels of distress and pain
"Greater resistance to illnesses
"Better psychological and physical well-being
"Better cardiovascular health and reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease and stroke
"Reduced risk of death from cancer
"Reduced risk of death from respiratory conditions
"Reduced risk of death from infections
"Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress
You are indeed a thinking being connected to a physical body. And you are a physical body connected to a thinking mind...works both ways.
So think positive...Think the most positive and enjoyable thoughts you can....Love the angels you see in the garden, if that gives you joy! Take joy in them!
It's good for your health.
Learn to appreciate and be thankful for all the good, and all the strange wonders around and within you, if that makes you happy. Love does that, wherever you find it. Love is Love.
Posted by: Spence Tepper | April 25, 2023 at 06:19 AM
@ Spence
Believing one can and should "change for the better" is telling what to the brain???
That something is wrong and the person is neglecting its own welfare.
Believing that you have to change to feel better can add unnecessary stress and damage the body.
It has become a whole industry ..of legal, academic trained, ... snake oil sellers.
Posted by: um | April 25, 2023 at 06:47 AM
Hi Um
You wrote
"Believing that you have to change to feel better can add unnecessary stress and damage the body."
If you want to feel better than you do now, then, naturally, something must change. It's very logical, you see.
If you don't wish to feel better, then that advice doesn't apply.
I suggest that for some people learning that their body can become healthier with some small effort, either to slow breathing, exercise or to think positive thoughts, is encouraging.
But for others the very idea of change is insulting and burdensome. Or unnecessary.
I do not suggest that you love what you do not love.
I only suggest that if you wish to improve your situation, physical or mental, a change in attitude and behavior can work wonders. Doesn't cost a thing.
What you already love can save you.
But if you cannot find that love, then I encourage you to keep looking, because whatever you find that you find yourself loving, being in that love, can physically and mentally be very good for you.
Posted by: Spence Tepper | April 25, 2023 at 09:25 AM
@ Spence
Let everybody do what he wants.
If somebody, starts a discussion on stopping smoking. I generally and first of all I , if I have had enough coffee and being in a good mood, will ask them the rhetoric question:
"why for heavens sake would you stop smoking".
"Go on smoking"
Why do you say that?
"Because you do not want to stop"
"You want to be released from the bad image and the consequences it has"
If You would realy want to stop you didn't need to ask me for help.
Your asking is an lame excuse and hide the very truth for yourself.
Etc
Posted by: um | April 25, 2023 at 09:38 AM
I once read an inspiring story by Ajahn Sumedho about the effectiveness of anapatasati. He told of how he was sent to some remote part of Thailand, got very sick to the point he was bedridden, and only had ditch water to drink. Completely terrible living conditions that would drive most people to despair. But with mindful breathing he restored his equanimity.
Also came across an interesting story about Bhagwan Dass of Be He Now fame. Not so long ago, someone turned him on to anapatasati and he was raving about how it was the greatest meditation technique he'd ever. That story, Bhagavan's reaction that is, I find a bit hard to believe, given that Bhagwan was surely exposed to Goenka's meditation back in the 60s when he was living in India.
I have to say that one of the great bummers of the spiritual heroes pantheon was the downfall of Bhagwan. If it was a downfall to chase tail that is. Apparently this guy wasn't just a guru gadfly but also a very ardent meditator. So many different kinds of people in this world, so many different paths in this human experience.
Posted by: SantMat64 | April 25, 2023 at 06:25 PM