Social Emotional Learning

Breathing Techniques

Belly Breathing

1. Sit or lie flat in a comfortable position.

2. Put one hand on your belly just below your ribs and the other hand on your chest.

3. Take a deep breath in through your nose, and let your belly push your hand out. Your chest should not move.

4. Breathe out through pursed lips as if you were whistling. Feel the hand on your belly go in, and use it to push all the air out.

5. Do this breathing 3 to 10 times. Take your time with each breath.

6. Notice how you feel at the end of the exercise.

4-7-8 Breathing

1. To start, put one hand on your belly and the other on your chest as in the belly breathing exercise.

2. Take a deep, slow breath from your belly, and silently count to 4 as you breathe in.

3. Hold your breath, and silently count from 1 to 7.

4. Breathe out completely as you silently count from 1 to 8. Try to get all the air out of your lungs by the time you count to 8.

5. Repeat 3 to 7 times or until you feel calm.

6. Notice how you feel at the end of the exercise.

Morning Breathing

Try this exercise when you first get up in the morning to relieve muscle stiffness and clear clogged breathing passages. Then use it throughout the day to relieve back tension.

1. From a standing position, bend forward from the waist with your knees slightly bent, letting your arms dangle close to the floor.

2. As you inhale slowly and deeply, return to a standing position by rolling up slowing, lifting your head last.

3. Hold your breath for just a few seconds in this standing position.

4. Exhale slowly as you return to the original position, bending forward from the waist.

5. Notice how you feel at the end of the exercise.