paced breathing in a ten seconds mayer-wave-rhythm

This is an example for paced breathing with the characteristic of slowed respiration. Inhale with one photo and exhale with the next one. Please try to start with the higher pitched tone. When the black picture appears after exhaling than you can have a breath-break. So you have an interval length of 10 seconds. This duration can be found in a cardiovascular rhythm called the „Mayer waves". If this rhythm is enhanced, it can lead to increases in parasympathetic and decreases in sympathetic activity. It might be helpful for stress management and relaxation. Perhaps it is better with only audio or only visual pacing. Surely you can use some aspects of the Benson Relaxation Technique with the paced breathing.
Please, hear the audio-signals not too aloud, so that it is pleasant to you.
For further information, please see the following articles:
Bernardi, L., Sleight, P., Bandinelli, G., Cencetti, S., Fattorini, L., Wdowczyc-Szulc, J. & Lagi, A. (2001). Effect of rosary prayer and yoga mantras on autonomic cardiovascular rhythms: comparative study. British Medical Journal, 323, 1446-1449.
Bernardi, L., Porta, C., Spicuzza, L. & Sleight, P. (2005). Cardiorespiratory interactions to external stimuli. Archives Italiennes de Biologie, 143, 215-22.
Some explanations for the so-called frequency following response (FFR), which is used in the audio channels of this video:
A relaxed awake feeling state is in particular characterized by a frequency of 10Hz in the EEG (perhaps there is also a relationship between the 10 Hz frequency and creativity). If tones with a difference of 10Hz are released on the right audio channel and on the left audio channel, the EEG can follow this difference. On the left audio channel you can hear first a frequency of 640Hz and on the right audio channel a frequency of 630Hz. Then you can hear a frequency of 320Hz on the left audio channel and on the right audio channel a frequency of 330Hz (these frequencies base on a 10 series: 10 20 40 80 160 320 640). Perhaps you can become a little bit drowsy, when hearing the tones.

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Howto & Style

Tags:

• paced
• breathing
• slowed
• respiration
• prolonged
• exhalation
• vagus
• EEG
• alpha
• relaxation
• emotions
• creativity
• FFR