COVID-19: Focus on breathing for mental wellbeing

When in confined spaces or dealing with anxiety in lockdown, if you focus on your breathing, it will help you manage the anxiety. It starts right from our respiratory system as we observe the sound of our breathing while inhaling and exhaling.

Sudhanshu Rai Life Coach and Motivational Speaker shares some key tips to keep you both physically and mentally relaxed. The following exercises can play an important role in managing anxiety while at home during a lockdown:

Anulom Vilom<br>Sit calmly and in a straight posture, balancing the shape of the spine. Make use of the thumb and ring finger to control the process. Use alternate breathing process, i.e. Inhale from one nose and exhale from the other. Breathing must be slow and steady. Follow the process for at least 10 minutes. While inhaling or exhaling, observe the air flowing through your nostrils and reaching organs.

Breathing with the word OM<br>Sit and take a deep breath. Make the voice of om through the open mouth and pull air from the navel in the first phase. May the sound as long as possible. Repeat the process again while pulling air from the chest and then from the throat. This should be practised thrice for each phase.

Relaxed Breathing<br>Sit or lie down and follow your breathing normally. Just make the process normal with no sound of breathing. Keep the focus on your breath while inhaling or exhaling.

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