Controlled breathing is one of the simplest ways nurses can help patients manage their anxiety. Deep breathing forces the mind, heart and body to slow down, countering the side effects of stress.
Nurses have many options when taking their patients through breathing exercises. One choice is sama vritti, a yogic breathing style that focuses on creating an equal ratio between the inhale and the exhale. Diaphragmatic breathing, also known as abdominal breathing, deep breathing or belly breathing, has patients focused on inhaling to expand the abdomen rather than the chest. This forces the diaphragm to engage and ensures the lungs fill with air, maximizing oxygen intake and helping produce a sense of calm.
Patients should be guided through these exercises. If left alone to their own devices, their minds may wander and ignore or negate the effects of the exercise altogether. If a medical facility doesn’t have enough staff to guide each patient individually, The Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Healthcare recommended using prerecorded audio instructions.
2. Guided Imagery
The effects of this technique are similar to those of breathing exercises. Guided imagery is based on the notion of a mind-body connection where mental focus eases the physical symptoms of anxiety, lowering blood pressure, respiration and heart rates.
The difference between the two tactics is in the approach. Whereas the former technique focuses on the breath, guided imagery utilizes the imagination. Patients are told to picture something in such incredible detail that their body reacts as though that item were in front of them. This technique takes the patient’s mind out of the exam room and into a situation where they feel comfortable.
