While you can’t necessarily eliminate the long list of stressors going on in the world right now, you can implement strategies to help manage their own emotions to decrease their anxiety. And there is something that you already do all day, every day, that is an excellent tool to take advantage of: your breathing. Yes, breathing exercises for anxiety have become widespread over the COVID-19 pandemic, and as many people have discovered after trying them, these stress-busting techniques can really come in handy when you’re feeling overwhelmed.
ICYMI, anxiety is quite normal. It is the most common mental illness in the United States, affecting nearly 40 million adults in the country each year, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. (That’s just over 18 percent of the population!)
So how exactly does breathing help? It turns out that the way you breathe can affect your heart rate, blood pressure, and nervous system, all of which play a role in your body’s levels of anxiety and stress, he explains. Rachel L. GoldmanPhD, a clinical psychologist in private practice who is also a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
For example, shallow breathing typically involves drawing just a little air into your lungs and taking shorter, faster breaths through your mouth (think: using only your upper chest to breathe). Engaging in this type of breathing can often cause stress, panic, anxietytension and pain, as it signals to your body that it’s in its “flight” response, explains Goldman.
Deep breathing, on the other hand, typically draws air deep into the lungs through the nose and uses the chest to draw air into the diaphragm. The result? You can get more oxygen to your brain and lower your blood pressure and heart rate. Plus, it tells your body that you can relax, that you’re safe, which makes it great for relieving anxiety, says Goldman.
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How do breathing exercises help relieve anxiety?
In short, breathing exercises can help reduce overall stress and anxiety levels and keep them from skyrocketing. The key is to practice them regularly, not just when you’re having an anxious time, says Goldman.
“I usually recommend that my clients practice several times a day, like first thing in the morning and right before bed,” he says, taking as many breaths as necessary to feel calmer. That averages about three to four breaths, according to Goldman.
FYI, you set the tone for your entire day by taking a moment to pause and relax when you wake up, Goldman explains. Doing it before bed can help you regroup and get into a restful state before bed, too.
Once you feel confident in your ability to do these exercises, you can start implementing them specifically during stressful times, Goldman says. Ultimately, taking these deep breaths is the fastest way to get into a physiologically zen state.
An important note: If at any time you feel that the breathing exercises are making you plus stressed, stop and try again later, advises Goldman.
10 breathing exercises to relieve anxiety
Now, let’s get into the details. Here are some breathing exercises for anxiety that you can try, according to the experts.
1. Breathing box
Also called four-square breathing, box breathing is a basic exercise that can engage both the mind and the body, Goldman says, making it ideal for psychological distraction as an intervention and for slowing down the body during stress.
- Begin inhaling for a count of four seconds.
- Hold your breath for a count of four.
- Then exhale for a count of four.
- Optional: Close your eyes and imagine building and taking apart a one-dimensional square box as you go.
This exercise is a little harder to remember, so don’t pressure yourself to try it unless you’re an experienced deep breather. That said, it can help you relax your nervous system and work through stress, as you exhale and focus on your breath for twice as long as you’re inhaling.
- Sit in a comfortable chair or position.
- Begin by exhaling fully through your mouth.
- Inhale through your nose for four seconds.
- Hold that breath for seven seconds.
- Exhale through your mouth for eight seconds.
3. Triangle breathing
Similar to box breathing, triangle breathing requires you to count your breaths and visualize a certain shape in your mind, he says. women’s health tutor chloe carmichael, PhD, a clinical psychologist in New York. If you feel that too many numbers is confusing, this one is for you because you won’t need to go past three.
- Sit in a comfortable position.
- Inhale through your nose while you count to three.
- Hold your breath for a count of three.
- Exhale through your mouth counting to three.
- Optional: Close your eyes and imagine building and decomposing a one-dimensional triangle as you go.
4. Diaphragmatic breathing
This is Goldman’s personal and professional choice. It focuses on his diaphragm, which may feel awkward at first, as he might be used to shallow chest breathing. It’s very accessible for beginners who may not know how to take deep breaths and need to learn, adds Goldman.
- Begin by placing one hand on your chest and one on your diaphragm (although you don’t *need* to get your hands involved if you don’t want to).
- Inhale through your nose.
- Make sure your belly expands as you inhale.
- Pause for a moment.
- Then exhale through your mouth.
5. Tactical Breathing
Breathing through your nostrils instead of your mouth is a tactic that can help you breathe more deeply and slow your breathing, says Carmichael. “With this method, your mind is focused on breathing through your nose and counting, which helps you focus on a different script instead of panicking or remaining anxious,” he explains.
- Find a comfortable sitting position.
- Inhale through your nose for four seconds.
- Pause for a moment.
- Exhale through your nose for four seconds.
6. Straw Breath
If your temperature rises when you feel anxious, you may want to consider a breathing technique that can bring it down. Straw breathing is one such practice, explains Carmichael, as it causes a cooling sensation through the mouth.
- Contort your mouth into a tight “O”, as if you were blowing a kiss. Optional: take a real straw to breathe.
- Inhale through the straw or in an “O” shape.
- Pause for a moment.
- Exhale through the straw or in an “O” shape.
7. Mantra breath
If you’re having trouble using traditional breathing exercises to refocus, sometimes it can help to add a few words to drive the point of relaxation home and draw your attention to your breath, says Goldman.
- Say the words “inhale” to yourself (or another mantra you want to repeat).
- Inhale through your nose.
- Pause for a moment.
- Say the words “exhale” to yourself.
- Exhale through your mouth.
8. Breath of Fire
Have you hit that four o’clock slump and need a burst of energy to get you through the rest of the day? Then this one is perfect for you, he says patrick k porterPhD, mindfulness expert and creator of BrainTap. Feeling tired but needing to get on with your day can often be a source of stress and anxiety, and this invigorating technique can recharge your battery enough to last you through the day.
- Inhale through your nose as quickly as possible.
- Support your stomach, pulling your belly button towards your back.
- Keeping your stomach tight, exhale through your nose as fast as you can.
- Continue inhaling and exhaling in rapid succession 15 to 20 times or alternately until you run out of breath.
- Pause for a moment.
- Take a few deep breaths, then repeat the exercise up to five times.
9. Finger breathing
Goldman recommends this exercise for anyone who feels like they can’t get out of their own head and struggles to be present. It brings all your senses together and is a more consuming experience than the others, which focus heavily on breathing.
- Sit in a comfortable position.
- Put your left hand palm up in your lap.
- As you breathe in, with your right hand, bring your thumb up with one finger.
- As you exhale, trace a downward motion with your thumb.
- Trace across all five fingers or until you feel calm.
10. Cocoon Breath
If you need some serious stress relief, try cocoon breathing, says Carmichael. This technique gives people a sense of “privacy, boundaries, and deep exhalation,” says Carmichael, so it’s great for when you feel like you need a moment to regroup.
- Inhale with your eyes open.
- Pause for a moment.
- Exhale, closing your eyes.
- As you exhale, imagine that you are drawing a curtain down on you.
- Repeat this as many times as necessary, and with each exhalation, imagine that you are engulfing yourself more deeply with each breath.
Ok, now that you have some breathing exercises for anxiety at your disposal, it’s time to put them into practice. If it’s a struggle when you first try it, just stop and try again in a day or two. Learning breathing techniques is a process you don’t need to rush!
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