CCChat-Magazine_Issue-15

Intercostal Breathing
1. Place each hand on the side of your
rib cage.
2. Inhale.Try not to lift the shoulders
as you inhale. Feel how your rib cage
expands sideways.
3. Exhale, concentrating on expelling
their air from your lungs as if you are
squeezing air from an accordion.
4. Inhale and visualise the breath
going both into the sides and the back
of your ribcage.
Some Breathing Exercises:
Diaphragmatic Breathing
1. Sit comfortably, with your feet on
the floor and place your hands on your
belly.
2.Breathe in slowly and calmly. Fill up
the belly with a normal breath. Try not
to breathe in too heavily. The hands
should move out when you breathe in,
as if you are filling up a balloon.
Try not to lift the shoulders as you
inhale.
4. Breathe out slowly to a count of 5.
Try to slow down the rate of the
exhale. After the exhale, hold for 2-3
seconds before inhaling again.
5. Work to continue to slow down the
pace of the breath. Practice this for
about 5 to 10 minutes each day.
Note: Breathing deeper may cause
light-headedness. A temporary
response to inhaling more air.
5. Visualize your ribcage expanding on
the inhale, like an accordion and
coming back together as you exhale.
6. It is easier keeping shoulders down
if, instead of placing your hands on the
ribcage, you loosely tie a pair of tights,
an exercise band or scarf just under
your chest.
Breathing for panic attacks.
This breathing focuses on the
outbreath, just letting the in breath
happen.
1. Sit somewhere quiet and still and
inhale. Feel the breath enter your
body. Note the coolness of the air.
3. Exhale. Notice the different sound
your breath makes, as you breathe out.
Feel how your body anchors down.
4. Inhale. Nice and soft. Until you can't
breathe in anymore.
5. Exhale. Visualise all the stale air
being expelled from your lungs. Expel
every last drop of stale air.
Repeat until the feelings of panic start
to subside.
Making The Invisible Visible