How to focus: body exercises that increase concentration

To start working with negative thoughts, emotions and experiences through the body, you need to understand which muscles tense up in response to anxiety. Finding them and relaxing, along with physical stress, we will remove the mental, which means we will return to a calm, sober view of the world.

1. Thoracic diaphragm

This muscle separates the chest and abdominal cavity and responds to any emotional tension, especially if it is associated with anxiety and the need to be active. To feel this tension, exhale strongly, clench your fists and close your jaw. Direct your attention to the solar plexus and lower ribs. You may experience pain. This is the attachment area of ​​the diaphragm, and at the moment it is tense.

The diaphragm is also attached to the region of the 12th thoracic vertebra (opposite the solar plexus).

Now that we have sketched out the “map of the area”, we move on to an exercise aimed at relaxing the area of ​​u12buXNUMXbthe XNUMXth thoracic vertebra and lower ribs.

Exercise 1

Sit on a chair. The back is straight, without back support. Find the area of ​​the solar plexus and the “projection” of this area on the back. This will be the space of the 12th thoracic vertebra. Focusing on this point, begin to make small turns to the right and left. If we imagine the body in the form of a nesting doll, divided across into two parts, then only the upper part of the nesting doll should rotate, the lower one remains motionless.

Make turns with very small amplitude and speed – at least 10 counts in one direction. Focus on the area of ​​the 12th thoracic vertebra, asking yourself the question: what else can I relax to make this movement even more smooth, fluid, relaxed?

During the exercise, you may lose your breath. If this happens, ask yourself what you can do to relax so you can breathe more freely. Along with the normalization of breathing and relaxation of the solar plexus and the 12th thoracic vertebrae, the emotional intensity will subside.

2. Neck and shoulders

When we are afraid, we usually pull our heads into our shoulders. Firstly, such a posture betrays anxiety and in the eyes of the interlocutor we look less self-confident. And secondly, stress really prevents us from feeling confident. In addition, regular tension of the shoulder girdle sooner or later causes a headache.

An exercise to open the 7th cervical vertebra will help you regain confidence and comfort – this point is responsible for relaxing the entire shoulder girdle.

Exercise 2

Locate the region of the 7th cervical vertebra, the largest at the base of the neck. Hands on the waist, the top of the head tends up, as if there is a loop on it, by which the whole body is suspended on the Christmas tree, like a toy. Keeping that feeling of gentle stretching, begin the rotation.

You probably did this exercise in physical education classes, it was called “Rotation of the neck.” Perform it with a very small amplitude and minimum speed: one rotation for a maximum of 10 counts. Bring your attention to the region of the 7th cervical vertebra, looking for a new, deeper relaxation with each moment of movement.

If there is a feeling that there is more space between the shoulder blades, then you are doing everything right. As you rotate, the feeling of anxiety will “drain” from the chest down, returning a feeling of confidence.

Meditation before a responsible event

When going to an important meeting, many of us prepare for it: for example, they pronounce the speech that is to be delivered. On the one hand, this internal monologue is important: we must know what and how we will speak. But on the other hand, it can increase the level of anxiety. We are so focused on what is inside that we stop responding to reality. That is why, remembering his speech well, the speaker can fall into a stupor from the most simple but unexpected question.

My advice is not only to learn and pronounce the prepared text in advance, but also take time for yourself 15 minutes before the speech: relaxation and preparation for live, real communication. The exercise to find inner silence will help in this – a pure and clear state without internal monologue and dialogue.

Exercise 3

Sit comfortably and as relaxed as possible. Concentrate on relaxed, natural breathing. Let it flow as usual. Do not speed up or slow down the breaths, just follow the process and count: one, two, three breaths …

This helps to stop the internal monologue and relax the tongue. When we have internal conversations, the language is in tension: the speech system is ready to turn on at any moment. So just count your breaths and keep your tongue relaxed.

Allow no more than three minutes for this exercise. You will be surprised how much fresher your view of everything that happens around you will become!