9 Simple Breathing Exercises to Reduce Stress
In our fast-paced world, stress and anxiety have become common companions for many. However, there’s a powerful, natural tool you can use to combat these feelings: your breath. Practicing breathing exercises for stress can help calm your mind and body, in some cases reduce anxiety, and improve your overall well-being. Here are ten simple breathing techniques you can start using today.
1. Diaphragmatic Breathing
Or as I like to call it, 360º breathing, this technique engages the diaphragm, encouraging proper breathing biomechanics that will down-regulatethe body. Lie down or sit comfortably, frame your hands along your lowest ribs. Inhale slowly through your nose, allowing your ribs to move your hands out side to side, then exhale slowly exhale, like the breath is just falling out the nose. Repeat for 5-10 minutes.
2. Box Breathing
This method, used by Navy SEALs, is excellent for focus and calm. Inhale for a count of four, hold for four, exhale for four, and hold again for four. Repeat this cycle for several minutes to reduce stress with breathwork. Note: if four seconds is either too long or short a duration for you, you can increase or decrease the time during each phase of breath. Overtime, the slower you can breathe, the better.
3. 4-7-8 Breathing
Created by Dr. Andrew Weil, this technique helps reduce stress and induce sleep. Inhale quietly through your nose for four counts, hold your breath for seven counts, and exhale completely through your mouth for eight counts. Practice this cycle four times. Note that if you are newer to conscious breathing, it may be hard to hold your breath for this long. You could simple reduce the breath hold and exhalation durations.
4. Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana)
This yoga practice balances your nervous system. Sit comfortably, close your right nostril with your thumb, and inhale through your left nostril. Close your left nostril with your ring finger, release your right nostril, and exhale. Inhale through the right nostril, close it, and exhale through the left. Continue this pattern for 5-10 minutes.
5. Resonance Breathing
Also known as coherent breathing, this technique aims for six breaths per minute. Inhale for a count of five and exhale for a count of five. This rhythmic breathing can help reduce stress and improve heart rate variability.
6. Humming Breathing
This technique is beneficial for redistributing blood in the airways and enhancing oxygen delivery. Start by slowly breathing in through your nose, then simply hum out your exhale. Pause after exhaling, and repeat. The humming will produce 20x more nasal nitric oxide than just regular nasal breathing alone.
7. Equal Breathing (Sama Vritti)
This exercise is about creating balance. Inhale for a count of four, and exhale for a count of four. You can increase the count as you become more comfortable. This simple breathing technique helps in calming the mind and reducing anxiety.
8. Breathe Light
This is one of the Oxygen Advantage’s signature exercises that aims to reduce breath volume to retain more carbon dioxide. This breath will help send more oxygen throughout the tissues as well as have you practice becoming more comfortable with a build up of CO2 in the blood. Start by breathing gently through your nose, and continue to lighten the breath until it is subtle. Feel as if you aren’t disturbing the hairs inside the nostrils. Don’t worry about breathing big down into the belly here, this exercise is more about biochemistry than biomechanics. Continue breathing in this subtle way until a small amount of air hunger is formed. Not too much that the exercise becomes stressful. Just practice the feeling of lightly breathing in and lightly breathing out for 2-4 minutes.
9. Progressive Relaxation Breathing
This technique involves tensing and relaxing different muscle groups while focusing on your breath. Inhale deeply, tense a muscle group (like your feet), hold for a few seconds, and exhale while releasing the tension. Move progressively through your body from feet to head.
Conclusion
Incorporating these simple breathing exercises into your daily routine can quickly change your mental and physical state, helping you lead a more balanced by manipulating the nervous system to your advantage. Remember, the key to effective breathwork is consistency. Practice these techniques regularly to experience their full benefits.