When you think about it, breathing is one of the most powerful resources you can tap into because it is the basis of all life. Every living thing on the planet breathes. Deep breathing for anxiety is a great way to alleviate anxiety, and there are many techniques you can use.
Breathing is one of the few bodily functions that are controlled at both the conscious and unconscious levels of the mind and body. The air you breathe is not only functional, keeping the flow of oxygen moving in your body, it is your life force and it is involved in everything you say and do.
Breathing better helps you physically, emotionally, mentally, and even spiritually. In terms of anxiety, breathing deeply can offer you immense relief.
Emotionally, whether you’re sad, anxious, angry, or fearful, taking a deep breath helps to clear your mind. When your mind is relaxed and calm, you can think much more clearly. Spiritually, learning how to breathe is a meditation on its own and meditation puts you on a path to your spirituality.
You consciously control your breathing during physical activities such as:
- Running
- Exercising
- Singing
- Meditating
Initially, you learn to discipline your breathing, to support the activity. The way you learn to control your breath during certain activities ultimately becomes sub-conscious. Unconsciously, your breathing is regulated by specific centers in the brain that automatically adjust the rate and depth of your breathing, depending on your body’s needs.
If you did not inhale, the level of carbon dioxide would build up in the blood, and you would experience an overwhelming hunger to breathe. Your body’s internal oxygen levels would also drop dangerously low within minutes, which could eventually lead to death.
Now, if you were to try and stop breathing, you wouldn’t be successful, because you would eventually lose consciousness, and the body would resume breathing on its own.
The way you breathe sends a powerful message to your body. When you are stressed, you typically experience an increase in the heart rate, faster breathing, and even higher blood pressure; deep breathing for anxiety can help you alleviate all of that.
Breathing is like a two-way communication with your body. If you were feeling anxious for example, your breathing would most likely tell you that something needed to be addressed. You could then quickly make adjustments to correct your breathing and you would no longer be anxious. Breathing techniques are a great way to alleviate anxiety, and there is a reason why – because they work
The Benefits of Deep Breathing for Anxiety
- Releases stress and anxiety.
- Great way to detoxify.
- Helps relax the mind and body.
- Gives you more life force energy or chi.
- Can increase oxygenation and blood circulation.
- Can help release emotional problems.
- Can bring about a state of peace and euphoria.
- Can release physical pain and accelerate healing.
- Can help you relax and become more receptive to visualization, suggestions, or affirmations.
- Can increase your creativity.
- Can slow down your brain waves.
- Can help you expand your awareness of yourself and the world.
Breathing exercises can help you energize your whole being, helping you release negative energy, and even helping you increase your levels of concentration.
Anyone and everyone can practice deep breathing for anxiety – whenever they feel the need. If you suffer from anxiety, learning some simple breathing techniques can go a long way to helping you manage that stress and anxiety more healthily.
When we get stressed anxious or nervous, we tend to hold our breath or breathe shallower, when in actuality the opposite would create an enormous amount of relief.
Breathing influences both our physiology and our thought processes, including our moods. By simply taking the time to focus your attention on your breathing, you can move into a space of peace and relaxation. Deep breathing for anxiety can help you in many ways, and the techniques are simple to use.
When you can get into the habit of shifting your awareness to your breathing whenever you find yourself feeling anxious, you can eliminate stress and anxiety before it becomes something much worse. There is one technique, called the 4-7-8 breathing technique which is fantastic for anxiety.
The 4-7-8 Breathing Technique
The 4-7-8 deep breathing technique is your body’s very own natural tranquilizer for the nervous system.
The technique helps evoke the relaxation response, which in turn helps you relax your muscles and slow your breathing down.
Breathing in this manner is a great way to detoxify the mind and body, and it only takes minutes a day. Deep breathing techniques do not have to be a lengthy process, and sometimes all you need is a few minutes of deep breathing to center your mind and body.
The 4-7-8 breathing technique is a wonderful way to cleanse your body of toxins and stress. Breathing deeply like this will help cleanse your nervous system and it is a wonderful technique to practice several times a day or whenever you feel the need.
Before you begin, take a moment to relax and get comfortable. Allow yourself to become loose and limp. Allow your breathing to settle into an easy, natural and rhythmical pattern. As thoughts come to you, acknowledge them, and allow them to float away. Try and create a blank slate in your mind, clearing intrusive thoughts away with the breath.
Continue to relax slowly breathe in, and slowly exhale. Acknowledge any stressful or anxious thoughts, and keep breathing deeply until you feel calm and relaxed. Feel yourself growing very peaceful and centered.
Just allow yourself to feel the breath as it moves through your body. Begin to breathe a little deeper as you breathe out any strain or tension, noticing how good it feels.
- Begin by closing your mouth and inhaling through your nose to the count of four. You may count silently as you inhale.
- Hold your breath for a count of seven, counting silently again.
- Slowly release the breath through your mouth, making a “whoosh” sound as you exhale for the count of eight.
You may repeat this two to three more times, but be careful not to do too much. This exercise is nature’s tranquilizer for your nervous system and it can be done as often as you like. Begin with just three or four breaths, until your body gets used to the feeling. You may be slightly lightheaded at first but it should pass.
Deep breathing for anxiety is a great way to clear your energy, and you can practice this technique whenever you feel stress overtaking you. There aren’t many techniques much simpler than deep breathing, which is one of the reasons why breathing is so great.
Deep breathing is one of the best ways there is to naturally lower stress in your body because when you breathe deeply, it sends a message to your brain to calm down. When you breathe deeply, it activates the PNS or parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for many of the activities that happen when you are at rest. The sympathetic nervous system or SNS has the opposite effect, stimulating activities associated with your fight or flight response.
Deep breathing for anxiety can be like a breath of fresh air when you are feeling stressed or anxious.
The next time you feel stress coming on, take a few minutes out of your day to rejuvenate yourself by practicing the 4-7-8 breathing technique, your body will thank you.
