From Cathy Wong,
Your Guide to Alternative Medicine.
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Stress, poor posture, snug clothes, and habit are some of the reasons that keep us from breathing properly. We wind up using our chest muscles instead of our abdomen.

Belly breathing, also called diaphragmatic breathing, is a simple deep breathing technique that teaches you how to use your diaphragm, a sheet of muscle at the bottom of our lungs and the most important muscle for breathing.

It is often used as a complementary therapy for anxiety disorders and may also help to boost energy and stamina.

The goal should be to breathe this way all of the time.

Here are the step-by-step instructions:

1. Sit in a chair, stand, or lie on your back. You don't have to sit cross-legged.
   
   
2. Try to calm your mind. Forget about what you’re going to make for dinner tonight, the emails you still have to respond to, and the birthday gift you still have to get for your mother-in-law.
   
   Don’t force it, just let go of any thought that pops in your mind.