Slow Rhythmic Breathing for Relaxation- Breathe in slowly and deeply.
- As you breathe out slowly, feel yourself beginning to relax; feel the tension leaving your body.
- Now breathe in and out slowly and regularly, at whatever rate is comfortable for you. You may wish to try abdominal breathing. If you do not know how to do abdominal breathing, ask your nurse for help.
- To help you focus on your breathing and breathe slowly and rhythmically: Breathe in as you say silently to yourself, “in, two, three.” Breathe out as you say silently to yourself, “out, two, three,” or you could say a word such as “peace” or “relax.”
- You may imagine that you are doing this in a place that is very calming and relaxing for you, such as lying in the sun at the beach.
- Do steps 1 through 4 only once, or repeat steps 3 and 4 for up to 20 minutes.
- End with a slow deep breath. As you breathe out, say to yourself, “I feel alert and relaxed.”
If you intend to practice this breathing exercise for more than a few seconds, try to get in a comfortable position in a quiet place. You may close your eyes or focus on an object. This breathing exercise may be used for only a few seconds or for up to 20 minutes.
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