Breathing Thechniques
"Mindful breathing brings calm and relief to the mind and body." Thich Nhat Hanh
Did you know?
Deep breathing is one of the body's most powerful self-healing tools. It can lower blood pressure, reduce heart rate, decrease stress hormones, strengthen the lungs, boost physical and mental energy, and even improve immunity. How incredible is that!
I became a Coach in Relaxation Techniques and Personal Development in 2004. At that point in my life, I pursued it for personal reasons, as I was struggling with anxiety and panic attacks. I lived in constant fear, especially of death, and it was impacting my quality of life. As soon as I started studying relaxation techniques, I found myself deeply interested in everything I was learning, and I wanted to know more. After practicing these techniques, my quality of life completely changed.
I explored topics like The Breathing Method, Relaxation Techniques, The Power of Positive Thinking, Creative Visualisation, The Subconscious, The Higher Mind and Inner Self, Self-Image and Self-Esteem, Stress and Nervous Disorders, and even Overcoming the Fear of Death. Each discovery empowered me on my journey toward inner peace and well-being.
Breathing Exercises for Relaxation
Have you ever noticed how you breathe when you feel truly relaxed? The next time you're in a calm state, take a moment to observe your breathing. Or think about how you breathe when you first wake up or just before you fall asleep.
Breathing exercises can help you relax by mimicking the way your body behaves when it’s naturally relaxed. Deep breathing is one of the most effective ways to lower stress in the body. When you breathe deeply, it sends a calming signal to your brain. In turn, the brain sends this message throughout your body, helping to reduce stress symptoms like an increased heart rate, rapid breathing, and high blood pressure.
Remember, the way you breathe affects your entire body. Breathing exercises are an excellent way to relax, reduce tension, and relieve stress. They are easy to learn and can be done anytime, anywhere, without any special equipment. By practicing different breathing techniques, you can find what works best for you.
How to Do Breathing Exercises
There are many breathing exercises you can try to promote relaxation. One of the simplest and most effective is belly breathing, which is great for beginners. Once you’ve mastered this, you can explore more advanced exercises to further deepen your relaxation.
Belly Breathing Exercise (Diaphragmatic Breathing)
- Sit or lie down in a comfortable position.
- Place one hand on your belly and the other on your chest.
- Breathe in deeply through your nose, allowing your belly (not your chest) to rise as you fill your lungs with air.
- Exhale slowly through your mouth, letting your belly fall as you release the air.
- Repeat this process for several minutes, focusing on the movement of your belly as you breathe.
This exercise helps slow down your breathing and promotes a sense of calm. As you practice, you’ll notice how your body naturally relaxes.
Next Steps...
Once you’ve mastered belly breathing, you can move on to more advanced breathing exercises. Try each of these techniques to see which one works best for you:
- 4-7-8 Breathing
- Roll Breathing
- Morning Breathing
4-7-8 Breathing
This exercise also uses belly breathing to help you relax. You can do it either sitting or lying down.
- Place one hand on your belly and the other on your chest, just as in the belly breathing exercise.
- Take a deep, slow breath from your belly, silently counting to 4 as you inhale.
- Hold your breath and count to 7.
- Slowly exhale through your mouth, counting to 8. Try to expel all the air from your lungs by the time you reach 8.
- Repeat this exercise 3 to 7 times, or until you feel calm.
- Notice how relaxed you feel at the end of the exercise.
Roll Breathing
Roll breathing helps you develop full lung capacity and focus on the rhythm of your breathing. It's best to practice this while lying on your back with your knees bent.
- Place your left hand on your belly and your right hand on your chest. Notice the movement of your hands as you breathe.
- Start by filling your lower lungs with air. Breathe in through your nose so that your "belly" hand rises while your "chest" hand stays still.
- Breathe out through your mouth. Do this 8 to 10 times.
- Once you’ve filled and emptied your lower lungs, move to the second step: inhale first into your lower lungs, then continue inhaling into your upper chest. As you do this, your right hand will rise while your left hand falls slightly as your belly contracts.
- Exhale slowly through your mouth, making a quiet whooshing sound as your left hand falls first, followed by your right. Feel the tension leave your body as you exhale.
- Continue breathing this way for 3 to 5 minutes, noticing the wave-like motion of your belly and chest rising and falling.
- At the end of the exercise, take note of how you feel.
Practice roll breathing daily until it becomes second nature. You can use it as an instant relaxation tool whenever you need it.
CAUTION: Some people may feel dizzy when trying roll breathing for the first time. If you begin to breathe too quickly or feel lightheaded, slow your breathing and rise from your position slowly.
Morning Breathing
This exercise is great for relieving muscle stiffness and clearing breathing passages when you first wake up. You can also use it throughout the day to release tension in your back.
- Stand with your knees slightly bent and bend forward from the waist, allowing your arms to dangle towards the floor.
- Inhale slowly and deeply as you gradually roll up to a standing position, lifting your head last.
- Hold your breath for a few seconds while standing.
- Exhale slowly as you bend forward again from the waist.
- Notice how your body feels after completing the exercise.
Breathing Guided Therapy
This session is dedicated to show you how to breathe to experience many health benefits...
Find out more
