We all breathe, but few know how to breathe. We care to teach children things that may not be as useful throughout their lives as it is to teach them to breathe properly.
Breathing is an infallible method to calm an anxious child.. Something so simple works very well to reassure children when they get angry, feel sad or lose control. Science confirms it. A recent study by Mark Krasnow, a professor of biochemistry at Stanford University, found that breathing has a powerful effect on brain activity.
Hug your child and help him breathe deeply When you feel anxious or restless, it works better than any other technique when it comes to calming it. Adults are not the only ones who feel stress, sometimes we lose control or feel irritable. It also happens to children, and Helping them calm down until the storm passes is key for them to learn to control and manage their emotions better.
I am convinced that if at home and in schools more importance was given to conscious breathing, we would all be a little more balanced.
The rhythmic activity of a group of neurons in the brainstem starts breathing. This group, in turn, consists of a subgroup of neurons that play a key role in alertness, attention and stress. The breathing center has a direct influence on brain function.
Slow and controlled breathing has been used for centuries to promote mental calm, and is used clinically to suppress excessive arousal, such as panic attacks. However, the physiological and neural basis of the relationship between breathing and brain activity is unknown.
In the study we mentioned, conducted with mice, the researchers found a subpopulation of neurons that generate the primary respiration rate, which regulates the balance between calm and arousal, which indicates that breathing is key in that process.
Three breathing techniques for children
Breathing is a fantastic mechanism to reassure the child, and it can be done at any time, whether you feel uneasy, have a tantrum or as a simple daily exercise.
5-2-6 technique
When you see that your child has exploded or is about to explode, find a secluded place and help him breathe to calm down. You can resort to what I call the 5-2-6 technique of leisurely breathing. I inspire counted to 5, keep 2 and loose counting to 6.
Balloon Technique
Tell the child to imagine that it is a balloon that slowly swells through the nose. As the balloon is filled with air the child has to raise his arms to reach a stop and then deflate, expiring the air through his mouth and slowly lowering his arms.
Flower technique
As if they were smelling the perfume of a flower, they have to take a deep breath through the nose as much as they can and then expel the air through the mouth. Each time they should do it more slowly controlling the rhythm of breathing.
Close your eyes and take deep breaths is a great method to relax body and mind.
