Learning to Breath

The most important thing that we need to teach students is to control their breathing because the most basic stress managemnet skill is breathing.

Provide students with the following directions:

1. Stand straight up with feet shoulder-width apart

2. Arms and hands are relaxed downward

3. Body is relaxed

4. Eyes closed

5. Focus on lower abdomen (belly) and imagine a small balloon in that space

6. Breath in slowly and deeply through nostrils, imagining the balloon inflating

(getting bigger/larger/growing) slowly, hold a few seconds

7. Slowly exhale through the mouth, imagining the balloon gently deflating

(getting smaller, shrinking); blow out of the mouth as if blowing out a candle

8. tip: Place a hand over the lower abdomen to feel it go up and down, and make sure you’re not breathing with the chest

9. Repeat at least 10 times