It can be difficult to monitor your breathing rate if you don’t know what it feels like to breathe normally. This video shows you how to do that, as well as some simple tips on how to monitor your breathing rate with ease at any time of day or night. It also provides helpful information on the causes of fast and slow breathing rates and what you can do about them, as well as a few tips on common breathing problems and their solutions. By following these instructions, you’ll be able to monitor your breathing rate easily and effectively.
- Find a quiet spot where you can have at least five minutes of uninterrupted time. Sit down with your back straight, whether it’s on the floor, against a wall, or in a chair. This will help you learn how to breathe normally while sitting up.
- Rest your hands on your lap and close your eyes. Take a couple of slow deep breaths while paying attention to the sensation of air passing through your nose and into your lungs. There should be little resistance as the air flows in and out smoothly, without restrictions or discomfort to distract you.
- Next, breathe in and out as deeply as you can while maintaining the same amount of air. Take two or three more breaths. You should feel your lungs filling with air evenly and comfortably.
- As you breathe in, imagine that your hands are taking in air from all directions at once, evenly and without pressure or discomfort. Let the breath flow down into your shoulders without resistance or discomfort at all, so that you can sense the natural ease with which your lungs fill with air.
- While breathing in this way, take one more deep breath to make sure you’re fully relaxing your shoulders so that they can expand completely while breathing naturally and easily into them fully. Breathe in this way again, and you should feel that your lungs are now emptying out comfortably.
- Slowly breathe out as fully as you can – filling your lungs with air smoothly and evenly. Take about three to four deep breaths, paying complete attention to each time you breathe out. Make sure that the air leaves your body without any restriction or discomfort whatsoever, so that you can sense the smooth ease with which your lungs empty completely.
- As you take a final breath and let it completely go out, imagine the air leaving your body in the same way as before – easily, freely and without any restrictions or discomfort at all.
- To help you monitor your breathing rate, wait a few seconds and feel the way you breathe in as you check with your fingers against your thumb. If it feels normal, there’s no need to do anything else. If your breathing feels too deep or too shallow, pay attention to the way it feels now, and try adjusting it according to how it furthers or hinders your ability to relax into how you breathe naturally as often as possible during the day.