When stress becomes persistent and chronic, it can leave us in a harmful perpetual state of “fight or flight.” By becoming aware of your breath and adjusting how you breathe, you can consciously shift your mood from feeling stressed or anxious to feeling calm and relaxed.
Key takeaways
- Chronic stress can be detrimental to your physical and mental health.
- Breathwork is a powerful way to relieve the lingering effects of stress.
- Techniques like box breathing, 5-5 balance breathing, and 4-7-8 breathing can provide instant stress relief.
Stress is nature’s motivator: It spurs us to take action in the moments that matter. However, when stress becomes persistent and chronic, it can leave us in a harmful perpetual state of “fight or flight.” In these cases, breathwork can help restore balance and order. By becoming aware of your breath and adjusting the way you breathe, you can consciously shift your mood from feeling stressed or anxious to feeling calm and relaxed.
These five breathwork techniques can help you break the cycle of chronic stress and relieve the lingering effects of over-stimulating situations.
1) Box breathing
Box breathing is a breathwork technique you can do almost anywhere if you feel overwhelmed, distracted, or overexerted. After just a minute or two of practicing box breathing, many people experience the benefits of a calm body and a more relaxed mind.
To begin, inhale to the count of four, hold your breath for a count of four, exhale for four and then hold for four. That’s one breath cycle. Repeat that pattern – inhale for four; hold for four; exhale for four; and hold for four – for a minute or two, and then return to a regular breathing pattern and notice if you feel calmer and more relaxed in body and mind.
2) 5-5 balance breathing
The 5-5 balance breathwork technique is also known as the perfect breath. By taking longer and slower breaths, you can allow your lungs to soak up more oxygen. You can do this best by breathing through your nose.
5-5 balance breathing involves 5.5-second inhales followed by 5.5-second exhales, which works out evenly to 5.5 breaths per minute. You can see tremendous results from practicing this technique for 10 to 15 minutes daily.
3) Conscious natural breathing
Breathing is both voluntary and involuntary. Practicing conscious breathing allows you to breathe more mindfully. It is about being aware of your breath's presence, cadence, and rhythm instead of allowing it to flow in and out without thought.
When you bring awareness to your breath, the frontal part of your brain controls it rather than the posterior (back side). Conscious natural breathing can also increase your respiratory capacity, help lower blood pressure, and stimulate the vagus nerve.
4) The 4-7-8 method
The 4-7-8 breathing method, also called the relaxing breath, is used to calm down from an intense or stressful situation or to help you fall asleep. This is why this technique is mostly done while lying down. However, if you prefer, you can practice it in a seated position with a supported back so your lungs can fully open.
To begin, place the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth just behind your upper front teeth. Then, part your lips and exhale to exhaust your lungs of any air they have. Next, close your lips and silently inhale for a count of four and then hold your breath for a count of seven. Finally, exhale forcefully through your mouth, making a whoosh sound for a count of eight.
5) Pursed-lip breathing
Pursed-lip breathing is a breathwork technique intended to make your breaths more effective by making them slower and more intentional. To begin this practice, find a comfortable position, seated with a supported back or lying down. Then, inhale through your nose for two seconds and try to focus on filling your abdomen with air instead of your lungs.
Next, purse your lips together like you’re blowing out a candle and exhale slowly, taking twice as long to blow out as it took to inhale. Then, repeat the process. As you continue this technique, you may start to notice you can increase the inhale count from two to four and your exhale from four to eight and so on.
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