Breathing exercises 呼吸训练的益处

　　专家建议可以通过做呼吸训练来帮助应对焦虑、压力和失眠等问题，因为调节呼吸可以让人转移注意力、放松身体，从而减少焦虑。本期 “随身英语” 节目介绍呼吸训练的原理和益处。

　　词汇：breathing 呼吸

　　Struggling with insomnia? Worried by anxiety? The first piece of advice that you are likely to see is to try breathing exercises. From ancient yoga practitioners to modern health professionals, experts have made this recommendation. But how can simple breathing activities have such a significant effect on our mental and physical health?

　　Once we consider how essential oxygen is for life, it might seem obvious that focusing on this can help our health. Our nervous system instinctively regulates the flow of oxygen into our lungs. Possibly because of body image concerns, many people hold in their stomachs, taking shallow breaths. This can lead our body to increase our breathing rate to compensate.

　　Our breathing also gets faster when we're stressed or anxious. When this happens, our sympathetic nervous system triggers a fight-or-flight response. As well as affecting breathing, this increases our heart rate and produces adrenaline to prepare our muscles for action. Stress and anxiety can thus be linked with rapid breathing.

　　To recover from a threat, our parasympathetic nervous system can put our body into a rest-and-digest state allowing us to relax and be calm. In this state, breathing and heart rates slow. However, it appears that slow, deep breathing can also make this happen. It's also notable that when we focus on breathing techniques, we can be distracted from the issues that are causing us stress.

　　Experts recommend using our diaphragm to inhale deeply, filling our lungs completely and then holding our breath for a few seconds before exhaling. Other recommended techniques include breathing through alternating nostrils. So next time you feel anxious or stressed, why not try some breathing techniques to help you relax?

　　词汇表

　　insomnia 失眠

　　anxiety 焦虑，不安

　　breathing exercise 呼吸训练

　　oxygen 氧气

　　instinctively 本能地

　　flow 供应，流动

　　lung 肺，肺部

　　shallow （呼吸）浅的

　　breath 气息

　　breathing rate 呼吸频率

　　sympathetic nervous system 交感神经系统

　　fight-or-flight response 战斗或逃跑反应

　　rapid breathing 呼吸急促

　　parasympathetic nervous system 副交感神经系统rest-and-digest state （身体的）“休息和消化” 状态breathing technique 呼吸技巧

　　diaphragm （横）隔膜

　　inhale 吸气

　　hold someone's breath 屏住呼吸

　　exhale 呼气

　　nostril 鼻孔