Meera is pacing up and down before her examination and feels she has forgotten all that she has learnt. Her friend helps her relax with a breathing exercise: Meera takes in a deep breath -> ______ -> releases the breath, and repeats this 5-10 times while staying focused on her breathing. Which step fills the blank?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → She holds the breath for some time, about 5-10 seconds.
Option (1) She holds the breath for some time, about 5-10 seconds. — Correct. The breathing exercise has three steps: <strong>inhaling, holding the breath for 5-10 seconds, then exhaling</strong>. Holding the breath is the step between taking it in and releasing it.
Option (2) She tenses her forearm muscles and then lets go of the tension. — Incorrect. This is a step of <strong>progressive muscular relaxation</strong>, where muscle groups are tensed and then relaxed. It is a different relaxation procedure and has no place inside a breath cycle.
Option (3) She thinks about the least anxiety-provoking situation. — Incorrect. This is a step of <strong>systematic desensitisation</strong>: the relaxed client first imagines the mildest scene of the fear hierarchy.
Option (4) She stops thinking of the fearful situation if tension is felt. — Incorrect. This is also from <strong>systematic desensitisation</strong>, where the client stops imagining a fearful scene at the slightest tension. The breathing exercise has no fear scene to imagine.
NCERT (2026-27): “Behavioural Techniques … “and panicky before the examinations. S/he is pacing up and down, is unable to study and feels s/he has forgotten all that s/he has learnt. Try to help her/him to relax by inhaling (taking in a deep breath), holding it for sometime (5–10 seconds), then exhaling (releasing the breath). Ask her/him to repeat this 5–10 times. Also ask her/him to remain focused on her/his breathing. You can do the same exercise when you feel nervous.” |