Forcing relaxation is like asking yourself to flap your arms and fly. You
can’t do it, and every push and prod only gets you more frustrated.
Relaxation is something you don’t work at. You simply let it happen.
Think about it. When was the last time you tried to force yourself to go
to sleep and it worked?So, now is the time to get into the habit of relaxed breathing. Do the next
exercise to learn to breathe in a natural, easy rhythm. By the way, this is
another technique you can use during the test to collect your thoughts and
ward off excess stress. The entire exercise should take no more than three to
five minutes.
With your eyes still closed, breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose.
Hold the breath for a bit, and then release it through your mouth. The key is to
breathe slowly and deeply by using your diaphragm (the big band of muscle
that spans your body just above your waist) to draw air in and out naturally
and effortlessly. Breathing with your diaphragm encourages relaxation and
helps minimize tension. Try it and notice how relaxed and comfortable you
feel.