Why do we emphasise so much on a very simple process like breathing? Of course it is necessary for our survival, but there’s much more to it.
As we all know, our bodies run on autonomic, sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. All our internal systems run in an automatic mode that we are completely unaware of. We cannot control our heart rates, blood pressure, sweating, digestion wishfully. On the other hand, there are certain parts of our body that we can handle in a more controlled way. It includes the motor movements that we do. We can dance, play, sing, scratch and what not.
A worrisome thought spirals into apprehension and then anxiety. Our mind feels that it is losing control and our internal systems start getting into a frenzy. Before we realise, the mind identifies being under threat and our body starts responding accordingly; palpitations, sweating, dizziness, cold hands and feet, butterflies in stomach, and what not. It is very frustrating to fight against an imaginary situation and we feel lost.
If we notice, breathing is a process that is mostly automatic, but when we try to be aware of our breathing, we realise that we can control it up to an extent. It works as a bridge between the voluntary and involuntary processes of our body. When anxious, simply being aware of our breathing can do wonders. Deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, resulting in reduction on anxiety symptoms; creates a distraction for our mind so that it can divert its attention from the anxiety provoking thoughts and be in the present moment; and most importantly, it provides a sense of control to our mind.
There’s no one way of therapeutic breathing. In fact, there are several ways that you can try out. You can choose a couple and practice them regularly so that it can come to you naturally during stressful times. “Because only when you practice a shot in the nets, you will be able to hit a six in the match.”