Breathing Exercises for Stress Relief

Breathing Exercises for Stress Relief

In our hectic lives, improper schedules, lack of sleep, and skipped meals can significantly contribute to stress. This stress triggers a physiological response in the body known as the “fight or flight” response, which can be helpful in short bursts but becomes detrimental when prolonged.

To counteract this stress, breathing exercises play a crucial role. Inhaling and exhaling from your diaphragm can help reduce the effort your body needs to expend for breathing. To perform this exercise, lie down on the floor or sit comfortably with your knees bent. Place one hand under your rib cage and the other over your heart. As you breathe in through your nose, you’ll feel your stomach and chest expand and contract. Focusing on these movements, along with slow breathing, will help you relax.

Here are a few breathing exercises to relieve stress.

Box Breathing

• How to Do It: Inhale for a count of four, hold for four, exhale for four, and hold again for four. Visualize a box as you breathe. Repeat for several cycles.
• Benefits: Creates a sense of control and helps reduce stress.

Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana)

• How to Do It: Use your right thumb to close your right nostril. Inhale deeply through your left nostril. Close your left nostril with your right ring finger, release your thumb from your right nostril, and exhale through the right. Inhale through the right, close it, and exhale through the left. Repeat for several cycles.
• Benefits: Balances the body’s energy and calms the mind.

Lion’s Breath:  is an energizing yoga breathing practice that may help relieve  tension in your jaw and facial muscles .

How to do it:

Come into a comfortable seated position.You can sit back on your heels or cross your legs.

• Press your palms against your knees with your fingers spread wide.
• Inhale deeply through your nose and open your eyes wide.
• At the same time, open your mouth wide and stick out your tongue, bringing the tip down toward your chin.
• Contract the muscles at the front of your throat as you exhale out through your mouth by making a long “haaa” sound.
• You can turn your gaze to look at the space between your eyebrows or the tip of your nose.
• Do this breath 2 to 3 times.

Equal Breathing : You should find a breath length that is not too easy and not too difficult. You also don’t want it to be too fast in order to maintain it throughout the practice. Usually, this is between 3 and 5 counts. Once you get used to equal breathing while seated, you can do it during your yoga practice or other daily activities.

• How to Do It: Inhale for a count of four, and exhale for a count of four, ensuring both breaths are equal. Gradually increase the count as you feel more comfortable.
• Benefits: Promotes balance and relaxation.

Deep Breathing: Deep breathing is one of the most effective and quick methods to lower stress levels. It helps to relieve shortness of breath by preventing air from getting trapped in your lungs and helping you to breathe in fresher air. Focusing on one’s breathing either as a way of calming down or as a stress-relief practice is extremely beneficial and effective for it activates the body’s natural relaxation response.

 How to do this:

• While standing or sitting, draw your elbows back slightly to allow your chest to expand.
• Take a deep inhalation through your nose.
• Retain your breath for a count of 5.
• Slowly release your breath by exhaling through your nose.