By becoming aware of your breath, and adjusting the way you’re breathing, you can consciously shift your mood from feeling stressed or anxious, to feeling calm and relaxed.
Key takeaways
- By becoming aware of and consciously manipulating our breathing, we can transition from states of stress and anxiety to calm and relaxation.
- Chronic stress, poor posture, lack of awareness, and prolonged sitting are identified as root causes of inefficient breathing that contribute to anxiety and stress.
- Integrating breathwork techniques into daily routines support emotional regulation, reduce symptoms of anxiety, and promote a balanced, relaxed state.
Breathwork is an invaluable tool for managing your mental and emotional state – because your breath is intimately connected to how you’re feeling. When you’re stressed, your breath becomes quick and shallow. When you’re calm, your breath becomes slow and deep.
This connection goes both ways. Your mood affects your breath, and how you’re breathing also affects your mental and emotional state. By becoming aware of your breath, and adjusting the way you’re breathing, you can consciously shift your mood from feeling stressed or anxious, to feeling calm and relaxed.
What is Breathwork?
Breathwork is an umbrella term for any conscious manipulation of your breath to achieve a specific effect. Certain techniques can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, creating a sense of relaxation in the mind and body.
The Root Causes of Bad Breathing Habits
Breath is an automatic function – it happens without you having to think about it. But just because air is flowing doesn’t mean you’re breathing as effectively or as efficiently as possible.
Chronic stress, poor posture, a lack of breath awareness, and spending extended periods of time sitting down are all common problems in modern life – all of which contribute to a vicious cycle, in which shallow breathing exacerbates existing feelings of anxiety and stress.
Learning and practicing proper breathing techniques can help counteract these less-than-ideal breathing habits, leading to improved well-being overall.
Breathwork Techniques for Relaxation
Breathwork encompasses a variety of techniques, each with unique patterns and intentions. It promotes relaxation and can be easily integrated into daily routines.
Down-regulating Breathwork (Parasympathetic)
Ways of breathing that induce a state of calm and relaxation are known as “down-regulating breathwork techniques.” These techniques are designed to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system – which counterbalances the body's stress responses.
- Diaphragmatic Breathing: The diaphragm is your primary breathing muscle. Intentionally engaging the diaphragm to deepen your breath stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system.
- Lengthened Exhales: Extending your exhale slows down your heart rate, stimulates your vagus nerve, and sends signals to your body that promote a sense of calm
- 4-7-8 Technique: This particular rhythm - Inhaling for 4 seconds, holding for 7 seconds, and exhaling for 8 seconds - has been studied extensively, and consistently shows the ability to induce a state of rest and relaxation. Holding the inhale and extending the exhale both stimulate the parasympathetic response in the body.
- Physiological Sigh: This technique consists of a two part inhale - one long, one short and sharp, followed by an extended exhale - which helps balance oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the bloodstream, and down-regulates the nervous system from arousal or stress.
These practices all encourage the nervous system to shift from ‘fight or flight’ to the ‘rest and digest’ - essential for stress relief. Incorporating these breathwork strategies into daily life can significantly enhance emotional regulation and alleviate symptoms of anxiety.
Start your Practice Today: 4:6 Calm With Mel
Functional Breathwork (Breathe Better throughout the day)
We take between 20,000 and 25,0000 breaths every day. That’s a lot of breaths! And that means that poor breathing habits add up, leading to low-grade stress throughout the body. By breathing more efficiently throughout the day, you can reduce the build-up of accumulated stress, and promote balance and ease in the body and mind.
Functional breathwork encompasses a range of techniques designed to strengthen the respiratory system, balance the nervous system, and promote mental clarity. One of these is rhythmic breathing, which involves maintaining a consistent pattern of inhalation and exhalation. This cadence is crucial as it signals to the body that it is in a state of equilibrium, fostering a sense of internal peace.
In practice, functional breathwork can be combined with guided visualization to improve its calming effects. This dual approach focuses and calms the mind, while the breathwork techniques stabilize the body's physiological processes. Over time, these combined practices can lead to a sustained reduction in stress and anxiety levels, enhancing overall well-being and resilience against future stressors.
Start your Practice Today: Functional Breathwork With Rory
Creating a Daily Breathwork Habit
Consistency is fundamental when it comes to establishing a breathwork routine to combat stress and anxiety. Start with just a few breaths at a time to create the groundwork for better breathing habits – and gradually increase the amount of time you spend practicing as it becomes a more natural part of your daily routine.
Hot Tip: The most effective breathwork practice is always going to be the one you feel most comfortable doing every day.