Stress is a daily burden for many of us, as obligations and the demanding pace of our lives cause us discomfort and pressure. In fact, many times stress can even stand in the way of everyday situations, and, even more seriously, we feel like we are losing control.
Surely, it’s an intense emotion that may not always be easily dealt with, but there are many types of breathing exercises that can help us relax. Proper breathing management is essential to combat stress and eliminate anxiety. We must not forget that the nervous and sympathetic systems react immediately to this kind of emotion, which is why the heartbeat speeds up and your breathing is irregular at that moment. Constant stress can cause serious problems, such as heart attacks and strokes. So, take some time and get rid of it gradually by using the following five breathing exercises:
1. Take your time
Something you have probably heard before and is good to remind. Once you feel overwhelmed by stress and lose control, give yourself a couple of minutes. Close your eyes, take a deep breath through your nose, and exhale loudly. Repeat as many times as needed until the irregular heartbeat stops. If it helps, as you inhale, you can think about what caused you stress, and while exhaling, you feel that any negative emotion that was possessing you is discarded. According to research, strong exhalation helps eliminate tension.
2. Breathing measurement
An exercise that is widely used in yoga, since it controls the levels of breathing, is their measurement. Specifically, what you need to do is sit somewhere comfortable and close your eyes. Start by inhaling, holding for 3 seconds, and then exhaling for 4. Then inhale for 4 and exhale for 5 seconds, and follow the same sequence until you reach 10 seconds. It will relax you, and you will learn to breathe more properly.
3. Stabilize your breathing
This technique requires practice and patience, and it is necessary to perform it at least once a day to see immediate results, as its benefits focus on optimizing your heart rate and relaxing your nervous system. Set a timer of 60 seconds, or if you want, you can look at your watch. The purpose of the exercise is to get five correct steady breaths in one minute. Do not rush, because they should not be lazy. If you have any difficulty, start with fewer, for example, 3 in a minute. Once you find your rhythm, the exercise will be achieved, and you will feel much better.
4. Open-mouth breathing
To regain the lost energy you need in order to survive a difficult day, the solution is to take open breaths. This exercise is also called the “lion breathing technique”, because the image with the mouth open and the tongue out looks a lot like a lion. Sit with your torso straight and inhale with your mouth open and your tongue out for a few seconds, and then exhale strongly. Repeat 2-3 times.
5. Nasal breathing
An alternative exercise that aims to release stress but also strengthen your concentration. First, sit with your back straight and try to completely relax your body. After a few minutes, cover one of your nostrils with your thumb. Maintaining the posture, slowly take a deep breath from the other nostril as much as you can, and immediately close it with the middle of the hand that covered the opposite nostril and exhale from the other side. Repeat exactly the same on both sides.
These five breathing exercises will surely help you deal with stress more effectively.