Breathing Exercises

There are so many healthy ways to relax, it should not be hard to find something that works for you. Some people relax while listening to music, reading a good book, taking a bubble bath, or watching a funny movie. These are great things to do when you are at home, but sometimes you feel stressed and cannot physically leave the situation, like when you're in class or taking a test. At times like these, try this quick and easy exercise:

Belly Breathing

• Sit with your feet comfortably on the floor.
• Place your hands on your belly.
• Close your eyes (if you can).
• Focus only on your breathing.
• Take a deep breath in, feeling your belly rise under your hands.
• Let the breath out feeling your belly flatten under your hands.

Continue to focus on breathing in and out. Follow your breath in your mind, saying to yourself, Breath in, breath out.

Here's a fun breathing exercise which can really help you to relax or get rid of a tension headache. You may not want to do this one during class, read on and see what I mean.

Alternative Breathing

• Sit with your feel comfortably on the floor.
• Close your right nostril with your thumb.
• Inhale slowly through your left nostril.
• Now, close your left nostril with your finger and open your right nostril by removing your thumb.
• Exhale slowly through your right nostril.
• Inhale through your right nostril.
• Close your right nostril with your thumb and open your left nostril.
• Exhale through your left nostril. Inhale through your left nostril.
• Repeat 5-10 times.

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