How to learn diaphragmatic breathing in sophrology?

Caution : You must consult your doctor for your health. This page presents only a personal and alternative point of view which should not be considered as an attempt to prescribe medicine.

Sophrology is one of those workouts for the body and the mind, used to bring well-being and serenity to a person's mind.

Among the many techniques she uses to achieve her ends is diaphragmatic breathing.

How to learn diaphragmatic breathing in sophrology?

Let's find out !

Understanding the interest of breathing with the diaphragm

The main function of the diaphragm is to control the contraction and expansion of the lungs.

This muscle separates the abdomen from the rib cage.

Diaphragmatic breathing takes its name from its muscle and is much deeper and slower than chest breathing, for example.

Rather, breathing with the chest involves the upper part of the chest and the various muscles of the rib cage.

It is used by all stressed people, it is said that the breathing is higher.

If diaphragmatic breathing is used in sophrology, it is because of its ability to "better fill with air" at the bottom of the lungs of the person exercising it.

This deep filling is essential because 70% of gas exchange takes place under the diaphragm, at the level of the solar plexus.

Likewise, the use of the diaphragm promotes a "better massage" of the organs and therefore, better digestion.

Massaging your plexus from the inside thus greatly reduces physical and mental tension.

Breathing with the diaphragm also allows an increase in lung volume and decreases the respiratory rate by generating a feeling of positivity.

You breathe less because you breathe deeply.

NOTE: Be careful, taking deep breaths does not mean taking deep, full breaths, it means paying attention and breathing into your stomach, not necessarily doing full breaths. This is a mistake 90% of practitioners make.

In addition, diaphragm breathing facilitates the catalyzing (activation) of the parasympathetic nervous system, the one that relaxes, relaxes, calms the body and the mind.

Locate your diaphragm to practice diaphragmatic breathing

It is important to be able to locate your diaphragm before you start diaphragmatic breathing.

To do this, inhale and exhale deeply.

During the inhale, your belly swells and your diaphragm descends towards the belly.

During the exhale, your belly will widen and the diaphragm will go up towards the bust.

Once the location of this muscle is made, take a comfortable seat in a space conducive to relaxation.

Put one of your hands on the abdomen (tummy) and the second on the chest (bust).

This allows you to adjust your breathing and feel the movements of these two locations.

Now breathe very slowly through your nose and choose an image in your mind that brings you full relaxation.

At this point, some people opt for inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, but I strongly recommend that you ALSO breathe out through the nose to intentionally slow the outflow of air.

This will have the effect of lengthening your exhalation to make it longer than the inspiration.

It is very important to activate the nervous system for relaxation.

When you breathe, try not to inflate your upper chest, nor to raise your shoulders, let alone spread your ribs, but rather your abdomen.

All of this is only possible if you lower your diaphragm into the stomach.

As soon as the abdomen is "full", you will notice that as you continue to breathe in, the air is inflating your chest.

At this time, we switch to full breathing in 3 stages, and we leave diaphragmatic breathing.

I advise you at rest to always maintain only this breathing from the first floor, in the belly.

Continue to breathe in deeply and slowly.

It is not excluded that you will feel a feeling of discomfort at this stage because the majority of people have never breathed in the belly, but through the chest because of chronic stress.

This can create a slight tension in the diaphragm, solar plexus and even cause a point in the back at the level of the shoulder blades.

Do not be alarmed, your body will relax during the exercises.

Regarding the exhalation, your diaphragm goes up towards your chest with each exit of air from your lungs.

It is useless to force your exhale if the body does not call for it, this dead space of the lungs has a colossal interest (to maintain a sufficient concentration of co2 in the lungs to keep the pulmonary alveoli dilated).

However, to vary a bit, you can say the word "AHHHH" every time you breathe out.

Also take care to relax the muscles of your face, the abdomen and those of the shoulders.

Exercise should be done for 5 to 10 minutes every day, and why not several times a day.

As you progress, increase the exposure time gradually.

Also gradually slow down the rate of breathing, breathing more slowly and subtly, depending on your level of mastery of the exercise.

As soon as you are finished, get up slowly and go about your usual business.

The difference between a sophrology session compared to Yoga?

The sophrology session generally lasts one hour.

It is not necessary that you wear any particular outfit or any material.

The sessions can be individual or collective, but the former are more recommended.

In this case, the therapist can adapt a tailor-made protocol to your case, in order to achieve the desired objective.

It begins with a discussion to better understand your needs and then presents the course of the session.

Depending on your state of mind and your health, your doctor may ask you to sit or stand.

Key techniques such as abdominal breathing also called diaphragmatic breathing will then be used on you.

Unlike Yoga, the sophrologist will ask you to make positive visualizations.

The most common exercise is that of the sea, which withdraws from the beach and goes back up to the beach.

You imagine this movement on a paradise island, while fixing your breath on it.

It is the addition of creative visualization and the support of the sophrologist in the manner of a psychotherapist that makes all the difference with Yoga.

There are also visualizations in Yoga, but it will be rather the moon, the sun, balls of color.

After each sophrology exercise, observe your body and detect specific sensations.

The end of the session is to share your perceptions felt during the session.

Obviously, given the advantages of diaphragmatic breathing, it is advisable to resume the exercises at home.

You will appreciate the benefits more.

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