Sometimes you just can’t turn off that mental chatter and go to sleep or even receive a good massage. The thinking is not productive and is actually keeping you from the relaxation you need! One way to shut it off and allow your body to relax is to focus on your breathing. Just notice it. Are you breathing through the nose, mouth, or both? Are you using your entire lung capacity or just the abdomen or upper chest area? Sometimes just observing your breath is enough to stop the mind from churning. If not, begin filling your lungs from the bottom to the top on inhalation and emptying your lungs from the top to the bottom on exhalation. Really draw your abdomen in at the end of the exhale and push it out at the beginning of the inhale. Repeat this breath cycle at least three times and then go back to just observing. Still no? Then try using a patterned breathing cycle such as the following:
1. Breath in through the nose for a count of 4
2. Hold the breath in for a count of 2
3. Breath out through the nose for a count of 4
4. Hold the breath out for a count of 2
Repeat this pattern at least 12 times or at least until you feel your body relaxing.
These three levels of breathing control are useful any time you need to stop the mind from racing and allow your body to rest.
hibbardann 