Pursed Lip Breathing Can Calm Stress 噘唇呼吸可以缓解压力

Pursed lip breathing quite literally involves breathing out through tight， pursed lips—kind of like you’re blowing out a candle， only slower. “When you purse your lips while exhaling， it creates a bit of resistance，” says Carrie Torn， a licensed therapist in North Carolina， US. “This slows down the exhale， allowing for a more extended breath out.”

噘唇呼吸实际上就是通过紧闭、噘起的嘴唇呼气——有点像吹蜡烛，只是速度更慢。“当你噘起嘴唇呼气时，会产生一点阻力。”美国北卡罗来纳州的执业治疗师凯莉·托恩说。“这减缓了呼气的速度，能拉长呼气的时间。”

When you slow down your breathing rate— especially the exhale portion—it helps get your parasympathetic nervous system back into balance， which in turn helps you feel calm and safe as opposed to panicky and stressed， says Dr Lynn Utter， a clinical psychologist based in Philadelphia. It’s a good technique to try if you’re feeling nervous before a big moment， like a test or a meeting， and it also helps with anxiety that seems to pop up out of nowhere. Here’s what to know about pursed lip breathing and how to give it a try.

位于费城的临床心理学家林恩·厄特博士说，当你放慢呼吸频率时——尤其是呼气部分——这有助于你的副交感神经系统恢复平衡，这反过来有助于你感到平静和安全，而不是恐慌和紧张。 如果你在考试或会议等重大时刻来临之际感到紧张，这是一个很好的方法，它有助于缓解可能突然出现的焦虑。以下是关于噘唇呼吸的技巧以及尝试的方法。

The Power of Pursed Lip Breathing

When you’re feeling anxious， it’s common to either hold your breath or to breathe in and out too quickly with panicky gasps. According to Utter， both habits signal to your body that you’re in danger—even when you aren’t—and ultimately make your anxiety worse. “The extended exhale gives your parasympathetic nervous system more time to understand that you aren’t in an actual threat，” says Utter. “When you’re anxious， the brain often needs a minute to calculate that you’re going to be OK， and the longer breath out is what gives your brain time to catch up.”

唇呼吸的力量

当你感到焦虑时，通常要么屏住呼吸，要么急促地喘息。根据厄特的说法，这两种习惯都向你的身体发出信号，表明你处于危险之中——即使你并没有处于危险之中——最终会使你的焦虑加剧。“延长呼气时间让你的副交感神经系统有更多时间了解你并没有受到真正的威胁。”厄特说。“当你焦虑时，大脑通常需要一分钟的时间来推测你是否会没事，呼出的气越长，给你大脑计算的时间就越长。”

How to Do the Technique

Firstly， relax your neck and shoulders. Purse your lips as if you’re going to whistle. Breathe in gently through your nose for a count of two. Purse your lips and breathe out slowly and evenly through them for a count of four or more. Think about blowing out through a straw or as if you are going to blow out candles. Feel free to adjust the inhale and exhale counts to what feels right for you—just make sure the exhale is longer than the inhale. Practice for a few minutes， gradually extending the exhale time.

如何掌握这项技能

首先，放松你的脖子和肩膀。噘起双唇，好像要吹口哨似的。用鼻子轻轻地吸气时数两下。再缓慢均匀地通过嘴唇呼气，数四下或更多。想想用吸管吹气，或者好像你要吹蜡烛。随意调整吸气和呼气的次数直到让你感到舒适为止，只是要确保呼气的时间长于吸气的时间。练习几分钟，逐渐延长呼气时间。