Meghan S.Stress affects all of us throughout our lives. Challenges in our work and personal lives can compound, making it difficult to handle the pressure. There are lots of ways to handle and circumvent these feelings, but one of the most expedient and easiest ways is through breathing exercises. You may be thinking to yourself, “Breathing? I’m doing that right now!” You are correct; these exercises are based on one of the things all of us do day-in and day-out. However, rather than just breathing passively, breathing exercises require us to pay close attention to our breath, and that we orchestrate our breathing in a unique way. These techniques can have a host of benefits, which we will get into soon. If you are interested in experiencing these benefits for yourself, here are two simple breathing exercises I use for stress.
Benefits of Breathing Exercises
Breathing exercises have a wide range of tangible health benefits that can help combat both mental and physical ailments. According to research published in the journal “Frontiers in Physiology,” breathing exercises, also known as “daily deep breathing exercise” (DBE), can help reduce blood pressure and hypertension, which are considerable contributors to heart disease. According to the CDC, heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women, and someone dies from about every 30 seconds on average.
In addition, breathing exercises can help improve your lungs’ overall functionality. Regular breathing exercises can remove stale air — which can build up over time — from your lungs. This can raise your oxygen levels, giving you greater reserves to be used on everyday tasks and physical activities. Essentially, breathing exercises help you breathe more efficiently.
Doing DBE can also be great for your mental and emotional health. Breathing exercises help alleviate your stress and anxiety, and can even help combat the symptoms of depression or panic attacks. However you slice it, breathing exercises provide boons for your health, whether physical or mental, and doing them consistently — even if done for just minutes each day.
Box Breathing
Box breathing, also known as square breathing (because doing this exercise forms this shape is a deep breathing technique that can help you relax, focus, and clear your mind. Like the other exercises on this list, it is a great method to reduce stress, and does not take long to do. In fact, you can perform these box breathing techniques for just 3-5 minutes and get palpable benefits. To perform this exercise, just follow these simple steps:
- Either sit in a chair or stand (whichever is most comfortable and relaxing for you), making sure to keep your back straight and feet firmly on the ground. If necessary, you can perform this step lying down, so long as your back remains straight.
- Slowly breathe in through your mouth, and, while holding your breath, count to four.
- Count to four again, but this time breathe out slowly through your mouth.
- Repeat this exercise for as long as desired.
Pursed Lip Breathing
For this breathing exercise, you are going to want to take fewer breaths than normal. While this might sound less than relaxing at first, the key is to be able to improve the capacity and flow of air into and out of your lungs. This will help you stay active for longer, and will also, of course, help to reduce stress, anxiety, and hypertension. Here are some steps to help you perform this deep breathing exercise:
- Sit or stand in a comfortable position with your hands on your stomach.
- Make sure to relax the muscles in your neck and shoulders.
- Slowly breathe in through your nose while keeping your mouth shut.
- Purse your lips as if you are whistling.
- Breathe out through your pursed lips for four seconds.
- Repeat as long as desired.
Conclusion
Breathing exercises can help reduce stress, anxiety, and even improve your cardiovascular health. Best of all, they can be done quickly and provide some immediate relief. If you would like to learn more about wellness, lifestyle, or nutritional topics, make sure to check out our other blog articles!
