Too much overthinking? Is your chemotherapy — and everything that comes with it — feeling a bit overwhelming? Is your head pounding or do your shoulders feel heavy? With these simple breathing tips, you’ll find calm and renewed energy in no time.
How to relax in 5 easy steps
When you’re tense, you start breathing shorter and higher in your chest. You take in less oxygen, which can trigger headaches and other physical discomforts. You feel rushed, restless. Anyone going through chemotherapy knows that feeling: your mind is full, and true deep rest can be hard to reach.
These quick, easy breathing exercises help you breathe more deeply, slow down your system, and release built-up tension from your body.
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Sit in a chair with both feet flat on the floor
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Close your eyes, let your weight sink into the chair, relax your muscles
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Place one hand on your belly and observe your breath without trying to change it
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Now breathe in deeply and hold for a count of three. Breathe out, gently tightening your abdominal muscles to push all the air out, and hold for a few counts
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Relax your abdominal muscles again and let your body fill with oxygen as you inhale. Hold for a few counts and exhale deeply once more
After just a few minutes, your breathing becomes deeper and your muscles begin to release. The tension melts away, fresh oxygen flows to your brain, and you feel yourself brighten up again. Relax.
(Source: WorkMassage)
