Let go of stress & anxiety through these breathing exercises..
Breathing is the most fundamental way to stay alive but there are ways to breathe better which could lead to different health benefits such as lowering stress and anxiety. Here are some breathing exercises that can help control these issues and provide a sense of relaxation in the process.
1. Pursed Lip Breathing – This is the most simple way of breathing exercise. You can do this whenever you feel short of breath or just tired. This can become a habit if you practice this technique several times a day. Through this exercise, you can release air that is trapped in your lungs and keep your airways open longer making breathing more comfortable.
Follow these steps when practicing Pursed Lip Breathing:
Relax your face, neck, and shoulders.
Breathe in slowly through your nose.
“Purse” your lips into a small, round shape, like you’re going to blow out a candle. Slowly breathe out through your mouth, and focus on making your exhale longer than your inhale.
2. Paced Breathing – This technique is used whenever there’s stress and anxiety. Both can lead to breathing quicker which can cause hyperventilation. This technique is more complex than pursed lip breathing. Here you control the length of time spent inhaling and exhaling, making sure that the exhale is the same length or longer than the inhale.
There are various “counts” for paced breathing such as “Square” breathing, where it involves inhaling for 4, holding for four counts of four and exhaling for four counts, as if you were following the pattern of a square.
There’s also the 4-7-8” breathing technique which involves breathing for four, seven, then eight.
Here are the steps of Paced Breathing with the 4-7-8:
Breathe out until your lungs feel empty but not to the point of being too uncomfortable. You can count as quickly or as slowly as you would like, but try to fill your lungs to a full and comfortable level.
For the 4-7-8 breathing, breathe for 4, hold for a count of seven, exhale for a count of 8. Be consistent of the speed of the count, Empty your lungs entirely over the exhale.
3. Belly Breathing – This breathing exercise is also known as Diaphragmatic Breathing. Belly breathing can help get more air into the body at a slower rate. Diaphragmatic breathing can also change how deeply you breathe. As an alternative you can also combine belly breathing with paced breathing.
Here are the steps of Belly Breathing:
You can chose to stand, sit or lie down flat on a surface. Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.
Breathe in slowly through your nose, and focus on keeping your chest still. while your belly expands. Breathe in until you feel a comfortable stretch. Follow by breathing out through your mouth, feeling your belly relax under your hand.
Breath-work is a wonderful way to increase oxygen intake, reduce stress, anxiety and helps keep you grounded & centered when your eyes are open. You can practice it on a daily basis if you chose. Give it a try, and let us know which technique is your favorite.
