Breathing for stress management
When we experience stress, out breathing pattern changes. We typically take smaller and more shallow breaths using our shoulders rather than our diaphragm. This style of breathing is associated with the onset of the flight or fight response which leaves us feeling keyed up and anxious.
Shallow breathing, or hyperventilation, can prolong feelings of anxiety by making the physical symptoms of stress worse. Controlling your breathing can help to improve some of these symptoms.
When we are relaxed, we tend to breathe through our nose in a slow and even way. When we are experiencing stress, deliberately mimicking a relaxed breathing pattern helps in calming down our involuntary stress response by controlling our bodily functions.
Deep and controlled breathing can cause physiological changes that include:
Reduced heart rate and blood pressure.
Lower levels of stress hormones are released in the blood.
Reduction in muscle tension as lactic acid build-up is reduced in muscle tissue.
Overall improvements in immune system functioning.
Increased energy levels.
Increased feelings of calm and reductions in anxiety.
How to incorporate breathing exercises into your day
Breathing exercises don’t have to take a lot of time out of your day. The goal is to simply set aside a few minutes each day to focus on your breathing. Try the following tips to get you started.
Start with just 5 minutes a day and increase your time as you become used to the exercises and when they start to feel more comfortable.
If 5 minutes feels too long, start with just 2 minutes.
Practice just twice a day, in the morning and at night. Increase this to multiple times a day when you feel more comfortable with the exercises.
Practice by sitting comfortably and placing one hand on your abdomen. Breathe in through your nose, deeply enough that the hand on your abdomen rises. Hold the air in your lungs, and then exhale slowly through your mouth, with your lips puckered as if you are blowing through a straw. The secret is to go slow: Time the inhalation (4 seconds), pause (4 seconds), and exhalation (6 seconds). Practice initially for 3 to 5 minutes.
Some other activities that are known to help with deep breathing include:
Yoga
Mindfulness/ Meditation
Tai Chi
Exercise (walking, running, weight training)
Apps for deep breathing
There are also a multitude of apps that can be used to help you in practicing deep and mindful breathing. Here is a list of suggestions you may like to try:
- iBreathe- Relax and Breathe- This app sends push reminders to your phone, so you can take some time out of your busy day to be fully present and practice some deep breathing. It has both free and paying options.
- Headspace app- This app provides a wide variety of meditation and breathing exercises that are easy to follow and will help you in feeling more Zen and present in day-to-day life. This App also provides free and paying options.
- Breathe app on Apple watch- This is a great App for Apple watch users, this app reminds you to take time to breathe mindfully each day by guiding you through a series of deep breaths. This app is on all Apple watches and is free and easy to use.
There are many more breathing techniques and methods you can learn and practice during times of stress, or burn out, or when you simply want to feel more centred and calm.
If you are struggling with stress management, it may be useful to speak with a mental health professional to learn more techniques and to tailor a stress management plan to your individual needs, please feel free to contact us on 8838-8687 or book an appointment online and come in to see one of our friendly Psychologists.