It is called cardiac coherence to the regular and harmonious frequency of the heartbeat. Since the heart and brain are connected in what is known as cross-coherence (which also affects other organs in our body), it is considered that self-induced positive emotions can increase the coherence of our body’s processes, which are reflected in the heart rhythm beat pattern.
The heart rate stability It plays an important role in relieving stress, a type of response in which psychological and physiological factors are mixed.
But also to facilitate higher cognitive functions (reasoning, language, regulation of thoughts and behaviors, motivation…), since it develops emotional stability and promotes calm. Furthermore, it can establish a type of implicit memory that organizes our perceptions, feelings and behaviors in a more harmonious and healthy way.
A technique to live with less stress
The technique that seeks coordinate breathing with heart rate with the aim of reducing stress and anxiety. Anxiety itself makes the heart’s rhythm more irregular and, depending on this connection between the brain and heart, it affects our emotional and physiological state.
It is a relaxation technique that is based on the principles of meditation and seeks synchronization between both processes (breathing and heartbeat) to develop that coherence and generate a state of relaxation and calm that helps us achieve emotional well-being in our body. daily life.
How is this technique practiced?
A simple way to practice it can be the following:
- It is enough to have 10 or 15 minutes a day to focus on your breathing.
- Choose a place where no one will bother you, and a good time to relax.
- Sit in a comfortable position, with your back straight but without tension. Hands on thighs.
- Close your eyes.
- Inhale through your nose for five seconds, feel how the air fills you and how you exhale it for another five seconds and empty yourself. You are practicing the conscious breathing.
- Continue breathing this way for a few minutes, paying no attention to anything else.
- Open your eyes and continue with your day.
- You can repeat two or three times a day.
What are its benefits?
The benefits of this conscious breathing that causes cardiac coherence are multiple. Among others:
- Reduces stress, anxiety and fatigue.
- Facilitates emotional self-regulation.
- Improves attention span and concentration.
- Improves information processing.
- Improves sleep quality and helps combat fatigue.
- Strengthens the immune system.
- It facilitates adaptation to changes in adverse situations and stimulates creativity.
What treatments is it used in?
Every day, the technique of cardiac coherence It is incorporated into a greater number of treatments. For example:
- Anxiety disorders
- Stress
- Learning problems
- ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).
- insomnia problems
- Hypertension
.