Belly breathing, also known as deep breathing is a technique that helps us to slow down our breathing when one is feeling stressed or anxious. It helps us to become more aware of our body. It is also a wonderful breathing exercise for children, a fun activity which you can practice with them during the holiday.
Our breathing changes when we are feeling anxious. We tend to take shallow and short breaths, causing air to travel into our lungs and our chest cavity expands. Conversely, if we take a deep breath, the diaphragm contracts and our belly expands. More oxygen goes into our body and it slows down our breathing rate, moderates our heart rate and activates a relaxation response. Breathing deeply into our belly allows us to be in a state of relaxation and it helps to relieve anxiety.
You can practice belly breathing with your children to help them focus on their breathing. First, let your child breathe at a normal pace. Point out the parts where their body moves as they breathe, and ask them what it feels like with this breathing routine. Have them lie on their backs in a comfortable position and place their hands on their belly. Your child’s first practice should be in a relaxed state so that they can notice the changes in their body while doing this exercise. Let them breathe in through their noses for 4 seconds with their mouth closed and ask them if they felt their whole chest fill with air all the way down to their belly. Have them hold the air for 4 seconds, then blow it out slowly at their own pace. Repeat the steps until the body starts to relax.
Let your children exhale through a straw if they struggle to breathe slowly. Tell them to imagine they are snorkeling! Have your children practice belly breathing before bedtime. It helps children who have difficulties falling asleep. Once they have mastered belly breathing, they could apply this technique to calm down themselves when they experience anxiety. Practice belly breathing together with your children. Parenting is stressful and you deserve to be relax too!
