Many people suffer from increased stress which causes them to suffer emotional and physical problems such as irritability, headaches, stomach problems and even depression. The problem stems from the inability to relax due to too much tension at work or home, which does not disperse before we sleep. Going to bed in such a heightened state prevents you from getting a restful sleep which will in turn cause you to feel more irritable etc. and so the vicious cycle continues.

By learning to relax using deep breathing techniques you are able to get a more restful sleep leaving you more rested and refreshed, which will help you feel more able to deal with any stressful situations.

How To Perform Breathing Exercises

• Get yourself into a comfortable position
• Relax your shoulders - if you find they move up and down it means you are taking shallow breaths
• Take slow, deep, full breaths - pull your stomach inwards and outwards
• Inhale through your nose for 5 or 6 seconds, then exhale through your mouth for 5 or 6 seconds

A comfortable position is very important for the exercises to be beneficial. If you are uncomfortable, you will be focusing more on that than getting your breathing right and will be unable to maintain the position for long. There are several positions you can try and you should change to a different one if you find yourself becoming uncomfortable during the exercises: lie on your back or your stomach, sit cross-legged or standing.

We usually take short and shallow breaths so the exercises are aimed at taking long, deep breaths. This will change the carbon dioxide level in the body promoting relaxation. If you are doing the exercises correctly you should be bringing out your collar bone, chest and stomach - and not the shoulders.

While you should be inhaling and exhaling for 5 or 6 seconds, if you find that you are worrying too much about counting the seconds, relax and focus more on ensuring you are breathing deeply. Worrying about counting will be counterproductive to the exercise and prevent you from relaxing. It is more important to ensure your shoulders are relaxed and that you are inhaling deeply through the nose, and exhaling through your mouth.

When you first begin the exercises you will find that your mind is constantly wandering to any problems you might have or replaying the events of the day. This is perfectly normal and you just need to go back to focusing on your breathing each time it happens. If you keep repeating this every time you are distracted, you will eventually notice that your mind wanders less and less.

Visualization can be a useful tool when doing the deep breathing, helping you relax. Start from your toes and imagine each and every muscle feeling relaxed. Then move on up to the next area of your body and do the same until you have relaxed your whole body. You can also visualize all the stress in your body being released out of your fingers and your toes.

Different positions and different visualizations will work best for different people. Experiment until you find the ones that are work for you. Whichever one of the methods you use, they will help you to relax and release the tensions of the day before going to bed, promoting a more restful nights sleep and reducing your stress.