When you get emotional during times of anxiety, do people ever tell you to take a deep breath? There is a reason why taking a deep breath is very important in calming yourself down.
Stress can cause your heartbeat to race faster than usual as well as high blood pressure and rapid breathing. Deep breathing helps return your body back to a calming state. When you breathe deep, it sends a message to your brain that you need to calm down and relax. Your brain then communicates with your body. Deep breathing exercises are accessible anywhere and only require a few minutes of your time.
Whenever you feel overwhelmed with your emotions, take a few minutes to get your heart rate back to normal with deep breathing exercises that can help you relax, reduce tension, and relieve stress.
Morning Deep Breathing
It is possible to feel stiff after being asleep for hours as well as your nasal passages feeling a little clogged. Deep breathing when you first wake up can help relieve muscle stiffness as well as tension in your back. You can start by getting out of bed and standing up as you bend forward. As your arms dangle to the floor with your knees slightly bent, inhale and exhale slowly. Roll up slowly as you return to a standing position with your head being the last to rise up. Hold your breath for a few minutes as you stand and start over again with your body bending forward from the waist. Take the time to see how you feel by the end of the exercise. Check-in with yourself by feeling if your pulse has gotten slower than when you started.
Belly Breathing
Belly breathing is one of the best breathing exercises you can use whenever you want to relieve stress or relax. If you are new to deep breathing, this is a simple one to start out with. All you have to do is sit or lie back in a comfortable position with one hand on your chest and the other on your belly. As you take a deep breath, feel your hand on your belly as it pushes out with every breath you make. Do this exercise three to ten times and take your time with each breath.
4-7-8 Breathing
This is a more advanced exercise of breathing that can also help you relax. You can do this exercise either by sitting up or lying down. 4-7-8 breathing is very similar to belly breathing except that you count silently to four as you breath in. Then, you hold your breath for one to seven seconds. End the exercise by breathing out silently for one to eight seconds. Try to get all of the air out of your lungs by the time you count to eight. You can repeat this exercise three to seven times or until you feel calm. See how you feel by the end of this exercise and repeat it as many times as you can to achieve the goal of calmness.
Conclusion
Deep breathing is a great way to calm down anywhere you are. You can achieve these exercises when you first wake up, on your lunch break, before you go to bed, or during stressful moments. You will see a great deal of difference in your heart beat and mindset by the time you are done with each exercise. There are a number of apps or YouTube videos that can provide you with guided breathing exercises. If you are struggling with anxiety or depression, please schedule your first appointment today to learn about how to control your symptoms and incorporate deep breathing into your life.
