I was reading an article about relaxing during stressful situations. The article said breath in and out from your lower abdomen. On the exhale feel the relaxation. I tried it and immediately felt the feeling they were speaking of in the article. I found that the relaxed feeling is actually both on the inhale and the exhale.
I was thinking, how can an average person who is new to breathing techniques calm themselves with this de-stress technique. I breathed into my lower abdomen without moving any other part of my body except my lower abdomen and couldn't feel relaxed. The stiffness actually made me tenser.
William C.C. Chen said "When we inhale and the oxygen enters the lungs, the mind is energized and wakes up. When we exhale, waste gas is dispelled, the mind is de-energized and it falls asleep." If you incorporate this wake-up and fall asleep feeling while inhaling and exhaling into your lower abdomen you can feel the relaxation. It is because you are energized and de-energize many parts of the body. It is the body's feeling of wake up and fall asleep that causes a relaxed feeling.