Breathing Exercises to Reduce Anxiety

 

Breathing to Reduce Stress

Ed Geraty LCSW-C, LICSW

INSITEintegrative.com

What breathing exercises reduce anxiety the most?

There are several ways to practice calm breathing in order to reduce anxiety.

With the aid of several professionals, we’ve put up a list of 12 exercises for you to attempt. To choose which one suits you the best, try each one out.

1. 4- to 8-count breathing cycles

You can breathe deeply anyplace if you can recall these three digits. Breathe in deeply and slowly for four cycles, following the 4-7-8 breathing technique

 Hold your breath for seven counts, then let it out for eight counts. You are free to count as often as required and at your own speed.

2. Pretend to be blowing bubbles.

Blowing gently is the key to creating bubbles that don’t break the soapy coating.

To relax your breathing, the expert doctor, a licensed mental health professional, advises “pretending to be below bubbles.” How in the world does this improve your mood?

The goal is to exhale more slowly and over a longer period of time than you inhale, says Holland-Kornegay.

3. Lion’s breath

Try a “lion’s breath,” suggests “Pause Breathe Reflect” inventor and breathing expert Michael O’Brien. Start by sitting down.

The next step is to “shut your mouth and inhale via your nose.

4. Breathe in and out

The Eco Happiness Project’s director, Sandi Schwartz, depends on nature for deep breathing. Wave breathing is one example. She clarifies:

If you live close to a beach, you may be able to breathe in and out to the rhythm of the breaking waves. Use a video to get a similar result.

It could also be useful to visualize waves or listen to an audio recording.

5. A relieved sigh

The physiological sigh is the most popular breathing exercise, according to Dave Shelton, the creator of My Fitness System.

6. A cold breath of air

Yoga therapist Beth Gibbs often uses the cooling breath technique. This one may be completed standing or sitting. Then:

Gibbs explains, “Open your mouth, pucker your lips, and slowly draw cold air in over your tongue and into your lungs.”

“Close your lips and take a slow, gentle breath out through your nose. Repeat until you feel comfortable for 2 to 5 minutes.

7. Alternately inhale and exhale via your nose

Sara Faravelli, a certified personal trainer and yoga instructor, uses alternative nostril breathing to unwind.

Do the following to practice breathing through each nostril alternately:

1. To seal your left nostril, use your left thumb.
2. Inhale deeply and hold the breath for a moment via your right nostril.
3. Lastly, exhale by shutting your right nostril and using your left nose.
4. Carry on in the same manner with each following breath.

8. Timing your breathing

One strategy to help slow your breathing is to time each breath, including how long you inhale, hold your breath and exhale.

Use a phone timer or a clock with a second hand to time each step at first for 5 seconds.

9. Belly breathing

Commonly advised by Holland-Kornegay is belly breathing, also referred to as diaphragmatic breathing.

You pay close attention as you inhale slowly and deeply from your stomach (as opposed to in your chest).

Holland-Kornegay advises, “Start by resting one hand on your belly and the other on your chest.

Simply inhale through your nose while keeping your hand on your chest down and your hand on your stomach up.

10. Box breathing

A few clinics also offers box breathing, which is all about counting to four.

It’s just a basic four-count inhalation, four seconds of holding, four seconds of exhaling, and four seconds of holding.

According to them, the pattern resembles a box and takes one to several minutes to finish.

11. Breathing in the dawn

Utilizing your body, in the case of the morning breath, your arms, may assist you in controlling the rate of your breathing.

Maintain your arms by your sides and stand upright. Until your fingers touch, and your arms create a circle like the sun, raise both arms high over your head, the experts suggest.

Hold for a few seconds, then strongly exhale while letting the arms to gently drop back down.