Breathing Exercises for Anxiety, Stress Reduction, Relaxation, Brain Health, and Energy
There are many benefits that can come from practicing optimal breathing exercises. A higher blood oxygen level can improve mental wellness, boost energy, promote healing, alleviate anxiety, reduce stress, and even help with athletic peak performance. Diaphragmatic breathing promotes relaxation which can help reduce stress and anxiety.
Anxiety breathing can cause low blood oxygen levels that can weaken cognition, making it easier to trigger more anxiety or even a panic attack. It can potentially affect cognition, resulting in a higher likelihood of developing depression, other mood disorders, and even dementia. Someone may not even realize that they are suffering from low blood oxygen levels. If you experience anemia, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), deviated nasal septum, sinusitis, nasal polyps, sinus allergies, sleep apnea, high altitude, poor circulation, low blood pressure, heart disease, chronic inflammation, smoking, obesity, and shallow breathing as a result of stress, then you may suffer from low oxygen levels.
Signs of Low Oxygen Levels
- Shortness of breath
- Heaving or rapid breathing
- Shallow breathing
- Increased heart rate
- Heart palpitations
- Cold hands or feet
- Tingling in the hands or feet
- Arms or legs falling asleep often
- Bluish purple lips
The Brain Needs Oxygen to Function Properly
Maintaining normal oxygen levels are vital to keep the brain healthy and functioning properly. Breathing brings oxygen into the body, while exhaling releases carbon dioxide. If there is not enough oxygen coming into the body, then the body is unable to efficiently release carbon dioxide. A lack of oxygen, as well as elevated carbon dioxide levels can mimic anxiety symptoms. This can increase anxiety, stress, and panic attacks.
How to Avoid Anxiety Breathing
Shallow breathing or anxiety breathing involves raising the shoulders and upper torso vertically while taking an inhale and releasing upon exhale. The problem with this type of breathing is that you’re only using the upper portion of the lungs, which is the smallest part. This deprives the body of the oxygen it needs to function at its full potential. It also makes it harder for the body to exhale and eliminate carbon dioxide. This type of breathing is usually a result of stress and more anxiety. It has unfortunately turned into the most common form of modern day breathing.
Optimal breathing – Diaphragmatic breathing, belly breathing, or horizontal breathing involves the abdomen expanding out upon inhale and deflating upon exhale. The shoulders and upper chest area should remain still during breathing. Diaphragmatic breathing allows your body to get an adequate amount of oxygen, while eliminating carbon dioxide efficiently. This is how nature intended us to breath.
Determine Your Default Breathing Style
You can determine what style of breathing your body defaults to by doing this test. Lay on the floor putting one hand over your upper chest and one hand on over your abdomen. Start by breathing how you would normally breathe. Notice which part of your torso lifts as you inhale and lowers as you exhale. Your shoulders and upper chest should not move, only your lower chest and abdomen. If your abdomen rises and falls during normal breathing, then you default to diaphragmatic breathing and you are breathing correctly. You can practice this same exercise while standing to make sure you’re not shoulder breathing as well. You can tell if you’re shallow breathing if your shoulders rise up as you inhale and fall as you exhale.
Clavicular breathing – upper chest breathing – above the breasts
Thoracic breathing – lower chest toward the bottom of the ribs breathing – below the breasts
Diaphragmatic breathing – abdominal area breathing – also called belly breathing – you will know if you diaphragmatic breathing if the belly area rises when you take an inhale.
Breathing Exercises for Anxiety:
You can rewire your lungs to breathe correctly by practicing these anxiety breathing exercises for 5 – 10 minutes a day. You should also try to be mindful of the way you breathe throughout the day. You can practice these exercises before bed to promote relaxation, or in the morning to feel more focused and alert.
- Diaphragmatic Breathing – lay down on a flat comfortable surface. Put one hand over your upper chest and the other hand over your abdomen. Take long, deep, slow breaths and make sure your abdomen is pushing outward toward your hand, while your upper chest remains still. Exhale your breath slowly through pursed lips. You can purse your lips as if you’re blowing a kiss but leaving a small hole to exhale the air through slowly. This is the best breathing exercise for anxiety because it promotes a deep sense of relaxation.
- Engage the Pelvic muscles during exhale – The diaphragm and pelvic muscles are connected and work together to help you exhale as much air as possible. Start by taking in a deep abdominal breath. Make sure your abdomen and pelvic floor expand during your inhale. As you exhale, squeeze the lower abdominal muscles and contract the pelvic floor.
- What is the 4 7 8 breathing technique? – 4-7-8 breathing involves inhaling through your nose for a count of 4, holding your breath for a count of 7, and exhaling through your mouth for a count of 8. This is an excellent breathing technique for promoting sleepiness.
- Pursed Lip breathing which involves taking a deep breath, then puckering your lips as if you’re blowing a kiss to slowly exhale to the count of 8.
- Alternate Nostril Breathing – Using your right hand, rest your pointy finger and index finger in between your eyebrows. Close the right nostril with your right thumb and take a breath through your left nostril. Now hold the breath and close the left nostril with your ring finger, while releasing your right thumb to exhale. Repeat this breathing exercise for 10 – 20 breaths or until you feel relaxed.
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