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If you feel anxious, your muscles will tense. This can make breathlessness worse.
Here are some simple exercises to help you relax.
In these exercises, you will concentrate on different parts of the body in turn. You will tense and relax different sets of muscles. Think about how different your muscles feel when they are relaxed.
Sit
in a comfortable chair, or propped up in bed, with your shoulders and
head supported. Close your eyes, and breathe slowly and steadily.
Hands
Make a fist with each hand for a few seconds. Squeeze, relax and repeat.
Arms
Bend your arms. Bring your hands up to your shoulders. Relax and repeat.
Shoulders
Raise your shoulders as high as you can. Relax, and drop your shoulders. Repeat.
Neck
Push your head back against your chair or bed. Relax and repeat.
Face
Frown, with eyes closed. Hold for a few seconds, then relax.
Clench your teeth, push your tongue against the roof of your mouth, hold, relax and repeat.
Stomach
Pull in your stomach. Hold, relax and repeat.
Legs
Point your toes and stretch your legs. Hold, relax and repeat.
