The breath is our life force. In Sanskrit, pranayama, or the regulation of breathing, breaks down into “prana” meaning “life energy” and “yama” meaning “to control.”
Think about what a powerful messenger the breath is in your life. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, your breath becomes shallow and restricted; when you’re relaxed, it is deep and expansive.
Learning to pay attention to the breath is a powerful tool in both mental and physical wellness. Physically, mindful breathing activates our rest and digest system, reduces stress hormones, calms inflammation, and improves heart rate variability. Mentally, it fosters focus, increases awareness of bodily sensations and emotions, reduces reactivity to stressors, and regulates mood.
Beyond that, it’s pretty easy to practice. You have access to your breath on any given day in any given situation and adding it to your daily routine can offer profound benefits. Here are six to get you started:
Need some guidance? Try free breathing meditations here!
1. Diaphragmatic Breathing
Technique:
Sit or lie down in a comfortable position.
Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly. This helps you to notice the difference between breathing into your chest and breathing into your diaphragm.
Inhale deeply through your nose, allowing your diaphragm (again, not your chest) to expand and your abdomen to rise. You can imagine a balloon expanding and releasing or put something small on your stomach to make sure it is rising and falling.
Exhale slowly through your mouth like you’re blowing through a straw
Put on a timer and repeat for 5-10 minutes.
The Science: Diaphragmatic breathing, also known as belly breathing, encourages full oxygen exchange. When you’re breathing shallow into your chest, your body is not getting everything it needs. Getting the right exchange of incoming oxygen for outgoing carbon dioxide slows the heartbeat, stabilizes blood pressure, which reduces physical symptoms of stress.
2. Box Breathing
Technique:
Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of four.
Hold your breath for a count of four.
Exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of four.
Hold your breath again for a count of four.
Repeat the cycle several times.
The Science: Box breathing is a powerful technique used by Navy SEALs and athletes to maintain calm and focus. This method helps regulate the autonomic nervous system, balancing the sympathetic (fight or flight) and parasympathetic (rest and digest) responses. This balance helps reduce stress and enhance concentration.
3. 4-1-8-1 Breathing
Technique:
Sit or lie down comfortably.
Inhale quietly through your nose for a count of four.
Hold your breath for a count of one.
Exhale completely through your mouth for a count of eight.
Hold your breath for a count of one
Repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths.
The Science: The 4-1-8-1 breathing technique promotes relaxation by encouraging deeper breaths, which can help calm the mind and body. It also elongates our exhale. Breathing out for longer than we're breathing in cues to the body that we are safe and activates our parasympathetic (rest and digest) system. This method encourages mindfulness through counting and paying attention to the light pauses between breath, encouraging more focus and less rumination.
4. Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana)
Technique:
Sit comfortably with your spine straight.
Make a “hang loose” sign with your right hand
Using your right thumb, close your right nostril.
Inhale deeply through your left nostril.
Close your left nostril with your ring finger and release your right nostril.
Exhale through your right nostril.
Inhale through your right nostril.
Close your right nostril and exhale through your left nostril.
Continue this pattern for several minutes.
The Science: Alternate nostril breathing is an ancient yogic practice believed to harmonize the hemispheres of the brain, improve respiratory function, and promote mental clarity. Research suggests that it can lower heart rate and stress levels, making it a valuable tool for managing stress and anxiety.
5. Three Part Breath
Technique:
Sit or lie down comfortably.
Exhale completely then inhale through the nose to your lungs full capacity, all the way into the diaphragm (remember belly breathing)
Pause momentarily at the top of your breath.
Exhale through the mouth like you're blowing through a straw just one third of the breath, releasing the bottom of the lungs.
Exhale two thirds of the breath, releasing the lower chest and ribcage.
Exhale the remainder of your breath, releasing the upper chest and emptying completely
Pause at the bottom of your breath.
Repeat until calm. You can also do this in reverse, inhaling one third at a time through the nose beginning at the bottom of the lungs to the top and releasing with one smooth exhale out of the mouth like you're blowing out a candle
The Science: Three part breath, also known as Dirga Pranayama or Complete Breath is often practiced at the beginning of yoga classes to improve presence. Paying attention to your breath in this way requires a great deal of focus and facilitates deep body awareness. Also, by fully engaging the diaphragm and expanding the lungs in all three parts, Dirga Pranayama maximizes the intake of oxygen, reduces inflammation, expands lung capacity and promotes relaxation.
6. Resonant Breathing
Technique:
Sit or lie down comfortably.
Breathe in for a count of six.
Breathe out for a count of six.
Maintain a steady and even pace.
Continue for 10-20 minutes.
The Science: Resonant breathing, also known as coherent breathing, involves breathing at a rate of about five breaths per minute, which is considered the optimal rate for maximizing heart rate variability (HRV). Higher HRV is associated with better stress resilience and overall cardiovascular health. This technique can help synchronize heart rhythms and respiratory patterns, promoting relaxation and reducing stress.
Conclusion
Breathwork is an effective technique in managing stress and anxiety because it directly influences our autonomic nervous system and brain functioning, counteracting the fight-or-flight response.
By activating the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing cortisol levels, improving oxygen exchange, increasing heart rate variability, and fostering mindfulness, breathwork can significantly reduce stress and anxiety, leading to a profound sense of calm.
Incorporating these breathing techniques into your daily routine for even a few minutes a day can be a powerful way to feel centered, calm and improve your overall well-being.
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