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body based

Grounding Belly-Sigh

An emergency calming technique using deep-belly breaths against physical resistance.

Emergency3 MINGuided audioFreecalminggrounding

Why it works

Grounding yourself through belly sighing helps you release intense anxiety and relieve panic attacks. It can also help you unwind effectively at the end of the day.

How to practice

Lie down on your front on a relatively firm floor or carpet. Breathe down into your belly so that you feel resistance from the floor. Take a full inhale through your nose such that air fills you from below your ribcage into your belly. Then let it all out, exhaling with a sigh. Repeat with pauses in between for 10-15 rounds.

Good to know

Alternatively, you can lie on your back and use a ‘belly stone.’ Find a roundish object of a weight that feels comfortable and place it on your lower belly. Breathe in the same way, using the weight of the object as resistance.

The research

Self-Regulation of Breathing as a Primary Treatment for AnxietyRavinder Jerath et al.

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