5 Proven Breathing Exercises for Anxiety and Stress Relief – Achieve Calm Quickly
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simple breathing exercises can help you to take control of your stress and anxiety
Stress and anxiety are common nowadays. Many people seek ways to manage feelings of stress or anxiety.
Breathing exercises and techniques are a powerful tool for this. They are simple, effective, and can be done anywhere.
In this blog, we will explore the best proven breathing exercises for anxiety and stress management.
Scroll down to find everything from box breathing to 478 breathing to one of my favourites, coherent breathing. These breathing exercises work well for beginners and experts alike.
What Are Breathing Exercises?
breathing exercises can be done anytime and anywhere - in nature or in a busy city
Breathing exercises are simple techniques to control your breath. They often help you breathe deeply and slowly. This practice calms the mind and relaxes the body.
When you are stressed or anxious, your breathing becomes rapid and shallow. This can make you feel more tense and uneasy. Deep, slow breathing helps reduce these feelings. It signals your brain to relax and lowers stress hormones.
Scientific studies support the benefits of breathing exercises. Research shows they can reduce anxiety and improve mental well-being. These exercises are a natural and effective way to manage stress.
Benefits of Breathing Exercises
breathe deeply down in your belly makes you feel more relaxed and peaceful. Try this 4-2-6 breathing exercise which also helps to extend your exhale.
Breathing exercises offer many benefits for your mind and body.
They reduce stress and anxiety. For example, deep breathing exercises help calm the nervous system. This lowers stress levels and creates a sense of peace.
These exercises enhance mindfulness and focus. By paying attention to your breath, you stay present in the moment. This sharpens your concentration and awareness.
Breathing exercises improve overall physical health. They increase oxygen flow into your body and brain, which boosts energy and vitality. Regular practice can improve lung function and heart health as well.
Lastly, breathing exercises boost emotional regulation. Controlled breathing helps manage emotions. It makes it easier to stay calm and balanced in challenging situations.
Top Breathing Exercises for Stress and Anxiety Relief
1. Diaphragmatic Breathing
Description:
Diaphragmatic breathing, also known as belly breathing, focuses on breathing deeply into the diaphragm.
How to Perform:
Sit or lie down in a comfortable position.
Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly.
Inhale deeply through your nose, allowing your belly to rise.
Exhale slowly through your mouth, letting your belly fall.
Repeat for a few minutes.
Benefits:
Reduces tension and promotes relaxation.
Improves oxygen flow and lung capacity.
2. Box Breathing
Description:
Box breathing, or square breathing, involves equal counts for inhaling, holding, exhaling, and pausing.
How to Perform:
Sit comfortably with a straight back.
Inhale deeply through your nose for a count of four.
Hold your breath for a count of four.
Exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of four.
Pause and hold for a count of four.
Repeat the cycle.
Benefits:
Calms the nervous system.
Enhances focus and concentration.
box breathing exercise. 4 seconds in, hold, out, hold. often used by navy seals and sometimes called tactical breath too
3. 4-7-8 Breathing Technique
Description:
The 4-7-8 technique is a simple pattern that helps relax the body and mind.
How to Perform:
Sit or lie down comfortably.
Inhale quietly through your nose for a count of four.
Hold your breath for a count of seven.
Exhale completely through your mouth for a count of eight.
Repeat the cycle.
Benefits:
Quickly reduces stress.
Promotes better sleep.
4. Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana)
Description:
Alternate nostril breathing balances the flow of air through both nostrils.
How to Perform:
Sit comfortably with a straight spine.
Close your right nostril with your right thumb.
Inhale deeply through your left nostril.
Close your left nostril with your right ring finger.
Open your right nostril and exhale fully.
Inhale through your right nostril.
Close your right nostril and exhale through your left nostril.
Repeat the cycle.
Benefits:
Balances energy levels.
Enhances mental clarity and calmness.
5. Resonant or Coherent Breathing
Description:
Resonant breathing involves breathing at a rate of five breaths per minute.
How to Perform:
Sit or lie down in a relaxed position.
Inhale deeply for a count of six.
Exhale slowly for a count of six.
Maintain a steady, rhythmic pattern.
Continue for several minutes.
Benefits:
Reduces stress and anxiety.
Promotes a sense of harmony and balance.
Find out more about Coherent breathing here
coherent breathing exercise. also called resonance breathing, heart coherence breathing or hrv breathing
How to Integrate Breathing Exercises into Daily Routine
breathing slowly is a simple and effective way to use your breath to relax.
Tips on Creating a Breathing Exercise Habit
Start small: Begin with a few minutes each day.
Set a regular time: Choose a specific time to practice, like mornings or before bed.
Use reminders: Set alarms or use apps to remind you to practice.
Be consistent: Practice daily to build the habit.
Be kind: Missed a day? No worries. Today is a new opportunity to start again.
Suggested Times and Situations for Practising Breathing Exercises
Morning: Start your day with a minute or two of deep, diaphragmatic breathing.
During Breaks: Take short breathing breaks throughout the day to stay calm and focused.
Before Meetings: Use breathing exercises to ease anxiety and improve concentration.
Evening: Wind down with breathing exercises before bed to improve sleep quality.
Stressful Moments: Practice breathing exercises whenever you feel stressed or anxious.
Using Mindfulness and Breathing Exercises Together
breathing evenly is one of the breathing exercises you can try. coherent breathing involves an equal length of in and out breath
Combine mindfulness with breathing exercises for greater benefits.
Pay attention to your breath as you inhale and exhale.
Notice the sensations in your body as you breathe.
Stay present and observe any thoughts or feelings without judgment.
Practice regularly to enhance mindfulness and reduce stress.
Integrating breathing exercises into your daily routine can significantly improve your mental and physical well-being.
Remember, start small, be consistent and enjoy the benefits of a calmer, more focused mind.
My Experience of using Breathing Exercises for Stress and Anxiety
breathe gently. don’t force your breath to do something it really doesn’t want to do. a gentle approach to breathing exercises works best
I faced some extra stress recently. I had to give a talk to a group of business people. I didn’t know any of them and didn’t know how they’d react to my talk. I felt nervous.
I noticed my stress levels rising as the time to speak approached. I also noticed my breathing becoming shallower and more rapid.
To calm myself down, I used diaphragmatic breathing combined with box breathing. At first I could only manage 2-2-2-2 (2 seconds in, 2 seconds hold etc) for the box breathing, but I gradually increased it to 4-4-4-4 (4 seconds in, 4 seconds hold etc) as I felt more at ease.
What’s the secret to using breathing exercises successfully? The secret is to notice how your body feels as you do the breathing exercise. If it feels too hard, don’t force it. Start with the breathing rate you can manage, and gently adjust it towards one of the breathing exercises above. A bit like how I did with the box breathing. Starting easy and building up gradually as I relaxed.
It works best if you choose the breathing exercise you enjoy the most.
Recommended Apps and Tools for Practising Breathing Exercises
Calm: Offers guided breathing exercises and meditation sessions.
Headspace: Provides various breathing techniques and mindfulness practices.
Breathwrk: Features different breathing exercises tailored for stress, focus, and sleep.
Prana Breath: A free app that helps you practice breathing exercises with customizable programs.
Breathe2Relax: A portable stress management tool with detailed instructions and exercises.
Books and Courses for Further Learning
Books:
Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor
The Healing Power of the Breath by Richard P. Brown and Patricia L. Gerbarg
Courses:
Breathing for Stress and Anxiety Relief Course: Our comprehensive online course that teaches way to manage stress and anxiety using your breath.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR): An online course that includes mindful breathing as part of its curriculum.
The Art of Living Foundation: Provides courses on various breathing techniques and their benefits.
These resources can help you deepen your understanding and practice of breathing exercises. Explore these tools to enhance your stress and anxiety relief journey.
FAQ
Q: Are these the same as mindful breathing exercises?
A: Mindful breathing exercises involve being conscious of your breathing. If you do pay attention to your breathing as you do the breathing exercises, you will enhance the positive effects of the above exercises.
Q: What is the most effective breathing exercise?
A: If I had to pick one to recommend, I’d say coherent breathing. This is because it balances your nervous system, and has an extra special positive effect on the way it syncs your lungs, heart and brain. However, the best one out of these is the one you most enjoy and are most likely to practice regularly.
Q: How do you breathe to help with anxiety?
A: When you’re feeling anxious, your breathing becomes rapid and shallow. This makes you breathless and the urge is to breathe even faster, but this makes you feel worse. So start with trying box breathing, 4-7-8 breathing, deep breathing or belly breathing.
Q: How to breathe to manage anxiety attack?
Firstly, try covering your nose and mouth with your hands, so you are breathing in the air you are breathing out. Secondly, try mini-breath hold of 3-5 seconds, every 30 seconds or so. These two techniques will help to rebalance your oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, helping you to feel calmer.
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed learning these different breathing exercises for stress relief.
Breathing exercises are a powerful way to manage stress and anxiety. Techniques like diaphragmatic breathing, box breathing, the 4-7-8 method, alternate nostril breathing, and resonant breathing can help.
Start small and be consistent. Use reminders to build the habit.
Combine breathing exercises with mindfulness for greater benefits. Practice daily to see improvement in your well-being. Explore the additional resources to learn more and enhance your practice.
Each breath brings you closer to a calmer, more balanced life. Embrace these techniques and enjoy the journey to a peaceful mind.
