Deep Breathing and Abdominal Breathing to Reduce Stress
Deep breathing -- or abdominal breathing as some call it -- is a technique used regularly to reduce stress. It is a stress management technique easy enough for you to incorporate into your day. Here are steps and tips you can use to breathe effectively when you are feeling stressed.
How do I Breathe Deeply?
Here are the steps to abdominal breathing:- Sit or stand up straight.
- Inhale through your nose slower and deeper than usual, while counting to five.
- Fill your abdomen with air. If you feel your chest or shoulders rise more than your abdomen, you are not breathing deeply. You want to breathe with your abdomen, not your chest.
- Pause and hold your breath for a few seconds.
- Exhale slowly through your nose, counting to five.
- Repeat 3 to 5 times, as needed.
Deep belly breaths!
Tips for Breathing Deeply
 - Think of your belly as a balloon. Fill it up with air.
- Don’t inhale or exhale too fast or you will get dizzy.
- Gradually increase your counting to ten when inhaling or exhaling overtime as you improve at using breathing to reduce stress.
- Practice makes perfect. The more you do it, the better you will be and the more effective it will become overtime.
- Put sticky notes around to remind yourself to breath. Put a sticky note on your computer that says “BREATHE”. It reminds you to take time out of your day to breathe deeply.
Why Stress Management Breathing Works
When you’re stressed, you tend to breathe shallowly with your chest. This causes far less air to be taken in than when you breathe from your abdomen.
Your belly can hold more air and breathing deeply ensures your body gets all the oxygen it needs. Breathing deeply makes your brain feel calm.
So remember deep belly breaths!
Benefits of Breathing Exercises to Reduce Stress
- Reduces stress and anxiety
- Clears and focuses the mind
- Can be done anywhere and no one will notice
- Provides oxygen to your body
- May help lower your blood pressure
When to Use Deep Breathing
You can do it anytime. That is the beauty of this stress management technique. The more you do it, the better and more effective it will become. So do this throughout your day, even when you do not feel stress overtaking you. It will allow you to be calmer throughout your day.
Breath deeply when you are:- waiting in line
- feeling overwhelmed
- put on hold during a telephone call
- stuck in traffic
- bothered by something someone has done or said
- anywhere at anytime
- breathe deeply everyday!
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