Introduction

The "fight or flight" response is a response that your body makes when stressed or anxious. Your body prepares you to confront or avoid danger when you are under Stress The stress reaction when used properly aids in our ability to overcome numerous obstacles. And yet problems arise when this reaction is frequently sparked by less significant everyday occurrences like financial difficulties, traffic congestion, employment concerns, or marital issues.

While feeling overwhelmed by stress or Anxiety, have you ever been instructed to take a Deep Breath? You may not have given it much attention, but this proverb raises an intriguing query: Does the mere act of controlling the breath provide respite from worried thoughts?

Anxiety is immediately apparent in your Breathing. One of the most well-known Yoga Teachings is found in the Bhagavad Gita, an epic text from India's Mahabharata. The protagonist of the Gita, Arjuna, is having an anxiety episode characterized by changes in his respiration, palpitations in his heart, and difficulty thinking. Though his teacher and mentor suggest practicing with breath, in the end understanding the nature of life ultimately helps him overcome his fear.

According to a study, a handful of brain cells are connected to breath and states of Mind. This emphasizes how slow breathing plays a role in reducing anxiety and calming the mind. Everyone has anxiety or stressful times when it may be difficult to maintain control regardless of age. The quickest approach to controlling your anger or other emotions in these situations is likely to practice deep breathing just like you would with therapeutic recreation. Anxiety, which is your body's response to stress, appears as an overwhelming fear or worry that is out of balance with the perceived threat.

Anxiety-related complications

Find out what complications are associated with anxiety

Anxiety is common, but it can easily get out of hand and interfere with regular activities. It may cause you to harbor the deeply rooted belief that you aren't capable or that you are incapable of achieving certain objectives. When you feel uneasy about things, you can even distance yourself from those who you feel are helpful to you and to the situation in which you find yourself.

Untreated anxiety may eventually lead to an anxiety disorder. There are several typical anxiety disorders:

  1. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD): Anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by excessive and ongoing worry about ordinary situations
  2. Social anxiety disorder: An overwhelming dread of being criticized or ashamed in social situations is referred to as social anxiety disorder.
  3. Panic disorder: Fears of impending doom that appear suddenly and without warning can cause panic episodes to last anywhere from a few minutes to an hour.

You are more likely to experience future Health Issues including diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease if you have an anxiety problem. Using natural methods such as controlled breathing may help you manage your Symptoms instead of relying solely on medicine. You can benefit from learning how to Breathe to Relax when you're in a stressful situation for the rest of your life. To assist you on your journey let's look at some safe breathing techniques.

7 Breathing Techniques to reduce anxiety

Breathing Exercises take a short amount of time out of your day. There are various breathing exercises to select from, so choose one that works for you. These seven simple breathing techniques can be incorporated into your everyday practice to help you reduce anxiety.

1. Diaphragmatic Breathing

Just behind the lungs, the diaphragm—a dome-shaped muscle—is used to breathe. This muscle is strengthened via Diaphragmatic Breathing, commonly referred to as belly breathing or abdominal breathing, which also fills the lungs with air.

  1. Put one hand on the chest and one on the belly.
  2. Take 3–5 deep breaths noticing the belly rise as you inhale. There shouldn't be any movement of the hand on the chest.
  3. Exhale slowly through your nose for three to five seconds, feeling your tummy drop back to where it was.
  4. Keep practicing this breathing technique for 5 minutes each day.

2. Box Breathing

Box Breathing, also known as square breathing, is a basic breathing technique that comprises inhaling, exhaling, and holding your breath.

  1. Expand the belly as you take a deep breath through your nose and count to four.
  2. Hold your breath for four counts after you've taken a deep breath.
  3. Release the breath by counting to four while exhaling through your nose.
  4. Hold the breath for four counts after the exhale.
  5. Repeat 5–10 times more.

3. Coherent Breathing

The breath cycle should only last five seconds in order to practice Coordinated Breathing. This breathing pattern lowers blood pressure and pulse rate, soothing the nervous system.

  1. To the count of five, inhale through your nose while expanding your belly.
  2. Start your exhalation at the top of your inhale without hesitating, counting to six.
  3. To finish a full-minute cycle, repeat at least five times.
  4. You can begin with a 3-count and gradually increase it if you find it difficult to breathe for this amount of time.

4. Straw Breath

As the name implies, this exercise involves breathing through a straw to lessen anxiety and stress. If you don't have a straw, you can pucker your lips on the exhale to perform the straw breathing exercise, which is also known as pursed lips breathing.

  1. Count to four while taking a gentle nose-only inhalation that fills the abdomen.
  2. Put the straw in your mouth after a brief pause at the top of the inhale. Or you may purse your lips and pretend to have a straw in your mouth.
  3. Breathe out through the straw gradually and softly for six counts.
  4. Stop exhaling at the bottom and take out the straw.
  5. You should repeat this exercise every day for 5 minutes.

5. Yogic Breath

The three-part breath, commonly referred to as the yogic breath, is a wonderful grounding method that fills the full lungs. The abdomen, ribcage, and upper chest are referred to as the "three components of the breath".

  1. Keep your spine straight and sit up straight. Place your palm on your tummy to begin, then slowly inhale and exhale into it while noticing how your abdomen rises and falls as you breathe.
  2. Place your palm on your ribcage and slowly inhale and exhale into it. You should notice your ribs expanding as a result of this.
  3. Lastly, place a palm on your upper chest and slowly inhale and exhale into the chest cavity while noticing how it rises and falls in response to your breathing.
  4. If you feel comfortable with each technique, Practice Breathing into each location independently.
  5. Next time you take a breath in, start by filling your belly, then move on to your ribcage, and lastly your chest. Take a moment to pause at the top.
  6. Reverse the movement of the breath when you exhale, letting it out of your belly first before moving down through your ribs and upper chest.
  7. Continue doing this breathing exercise for 5-10 rounds.

6. Victory Breath

In Sanskrit, Victory Breath is referred to as Ujjayi Breath. Because the sound produced by tightening the throat mimics waves crashing on the coast, it is also known as ocean breath.

  1. Place your hands in your lap while sitting upright with your back straight.
  2. As you breathe in gently, limit airflow to the back of your throat by keeping your mouth shut and counting to four. If you follow the instructions precisely.
  3. When you reach the top of the inhale, pause briefly before starting the exhale.
  4. Breathe out slowly to the count of six while maintaining a tightened throat. Wait a moment before taking another breath.
  5. Repeat this exercise 5–10 times.

7. Alternate Nostril Breathing

 7 Powerful Breathing Techniques to Reduce Anxiety

To balance the flow of energy, Alternate Nostril Breathing, also called Nadi Shodhana in Sanskrit, entails breathing through just one nostril at a time. This breathing exercise calms the mind and the heart.

  1. Place yourself in a relaxed, upright, and spine-straight posture.
  2. The middle and index fingers of your right hand should be positioned between your eyebrows for stability as you bring it in front of your face. You will use your thumb and ring finger to block the left or right nostril during the workout.
  3. Plug the right nostril with your thumb and close your eyes
  4. Count to four as you inhale softly through your left nostril.
  5. After a brief pause at the peak of the inhale, put your ring finger into the left nostril, and then release your thumb from the right nostril.
  6. Exhale gently out of the right nostril to the count of four, stopping briefly at the end of the exhale.
  7. From the right nostril, take a calming four-breath inhalation, pausing at the peak of the breath.
  8. After releasing the ring finger from the left nostril, plug the right nostril with your thumb. Slowly exhale through the left nostril to the count of 4, pausing at the bottom of the exhalation.
  9. This exercise should be repeated at least five times.

The Focus of our practice is to help you control persistent anxiety emotions and anxiety attacks that upset your stomach and heart. You'll feel considerably calmer if you make this exercise a regular part of your daily routine. Take some time to record your experiences with each of these seven breathing exercises after practicing them one at a time and deciding which ones you like. You can layer your preferred breathing techniques for deeper relaxation and relief from racing thoughts. Do you require more direction or are you prepared to advance your practice? Join us for a free session of Breathwork and meditation. Download our App on the Play Store and App Store.


Conclusion

Taking a breath is a natural thing: you Breathe In, you Breathe Out. Nothing complicated about it is there? But is there a proper method to breathe? Guess what? There are correct and incorrect techniques to obtain oxygen into your system through your lungs. According to our research, 90% of people only breathe at 50% of their maximum capacity. This indicates that many of us are not getting enough oxygen and blood flow.

Breathing may appear simple, yet there is a strategy for effective breathing. The most generally used term is Belly Breathing, although in technical terms it is Diaphragmatic breathing. Diaphragm breathing is a type of breathing that has been around for centuries, but its popularity has grown significantly in recent years due to its Health Benefits. Diaphragm breathing is a powerful tool to improve both physical and mental well-being. With the right technique, research has shown that diaphragm breathing can reduce blood pressure, improve cardiovascular health, and even regulate Stress and Anxiety levels.

You don't think about it much while you're breathing. It's just a natural subconscious process. If you're experiencing trouble breathing, you're probably performing a rather common error. You can diagnose your Breathing Problems by first looking at your respiratory system and what keeps it running.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: What are the benefits of diaphragm breathing?

Diaphragm breathing offers numerous benefits, including reducing blood pressure, improving cardiovascular health, and regulating stress and anxiety levels. It enhances both physical and mental well-being.

Q2: How does diaphragm breathing differ from vertical breathing?

Diaphragm breathing, also known as belly breathing, involves inhaling air by expanding the belly, allowing oxygen to fill the bottom of the lungs. In contrast, vertical breathing, characterized by shoulder movement, does not fully utilize lung capacity and is considered incorrect.

Q3: What are some common causes of improper breathing?

Stress, poor posture, and obesity are common causes of improper breathing. Stress leads to shallow breathing, while poor posture and obesity restrict lung expansion, resulting in shorter breaths.

Q4: What is pursed-lip breathing and how does it help?

Pursed-lip breathing involves inhaling through the nose for two seconds and exhaling slowly through pursed lips for four seconds. This controlled technique promotes relaxation and allows individuals to experience correct breathing patterns.

Q5: How does the book breathing exercise contribute to improving breathing?

The book breathing exercise involves placing books or hands on the stomach while lying down, inhaling deeply through the nose to lift the books/hands, and exhaling slowly through the mouth. This exercise trains the body to engage in diaphragmatic breathing, promoting proper breath control and relaxation.