Six Breathing Techniques to Help with Anxiety
Each and everyone are affected by anxiety, in almost all times. People who severely suffer from anxiety may experience many health issues including panic / anxiety attacks, uneven / rapid heartbeat, or sometimes it may even lead to chest pain / heart attack. Preventive measures are to be taken to control your breathing and (BP) blood pressure.
Experts suggest that breathing exercises are one of the best ways to overcome anxiety. The following breathing techniques will help you control your anxiety and panic attacks:
Bumble Bee Breath is commonly practiced in meditation workshops. This helps you in calming your mind. This is how you have to do it:
Comfortably sit in straight position
Relax your shoulders
Open up your chest by inhaling slowly and filling your lungs to the extent that you can
Now close your eyes and ears with your fingers and thumbs respectively
Make a low humming sound with your jaw relaxed and lips closed
Hold this position for 3 – 4 seconds and make a slow and long exhalation
Repeat this breathing technique for 5 – 10 times for better results
2. The Measured Breath:
Measured breath technique helps you calm your anxiety / panic attacks. This is how you can do it:
You can either sit or stand, before beginning the breathing technique
Loosen up a little before starting
Relax your hands and drop your shoulders and place your hands on either side
Slowly breathe in through your nose allowing your stomach to expand up to 4 counts
Now hold for a second and release your breath slowly and smoothly till 7 counts
Repeat this technique for a few minutes
3. Progressive Relaxation:
Slowly close your eyes
Focus on tensing and relaxing each muscle group of your body for 2 – 3 seconds
Start with your feet and toes and work all the way up to the legs, knees thighs, hips, chest, neck, face and your eyes
Maintain slow and deep breaths all the time
Hold for 5 counts and then exhale through your mouth or nose on release
4. Equal Breathing or “SamaVritti”:
This breathing technique helps you relieve your body from stress and clears you mind.
Slowly breathe in through your nose as you count to 4
In a similar way, slowly breathe out on a count of 4
Focus on your breathe, as breathing through your nose helps in providing natural resistance
5. Guided Visualization:
Relax yourself completely
Lie down and close your eyes and imagine yourself in a “happy place”, focus on pleasant things
Take a deep breath through your nose
Visualize yourself in a desired direction; do not let negative thoughts shatter your mind
Embrace this peaceful mind position for few seconds and relax your body
6. Skull Shining Breath or “Kapalabhati”:
Begin with a slow and long inhale, followed by a quick and powerful exhale
While breathing out, remember that it should be generated from the lower belly by contracting it completely
Continue the procedure as fast as you can by inhaling-exhaling every two seconds
Repeat this breathing technique for 10 times
Experts suggest that breathing exercises are one of the best ways to overcome anxiety. The following breathing techniques will help you control your anxiety and panic attacks:
Six Breathing Techniques to Help with Anxiety:
1. The Bumble Bee Breath:Bumble Bee Breath is commonly practiced in meditation workshops. This helps you in calming your mind. This is how you have to do it:
Comfortably sit in straight position
Relax your shoulders
Open up your chest by inhaling slowly and filling your lungs to the extent that you can
Now close your eyes and ears with your fingers and thumbs respectively
Make a low humming sound with your jaw relaxed and lips closed
Hold this position for 3 – 4 seconds and make a slow and long exhalation
Repeat this breathing technique for 5 – 10 times for better results
2. The Measured Breath:
Measured breath technique helps you calm your anxiety / panic attacks. This is how you can do it:
You can either sit or stand, before beginning the breathing technique
Loosen up a little before starting
Relax your hands and drop your shoulders and place your hands on either side
Slowly breathe in through your nose allowing your stomach to expand up to 4 counts
Now hold for a second and release your breath slowly and smoothly till 7 counts
Repeat this technique for a few minutes
3. Progressive Relaxation:
Slowly close your eyes
Focus on tensing and relaxing each muscle group of your body for 2 – 3 seconds
Start with your feet and toes and work all the way up to the legs, knees thighs, hips, chest, neck, face and your eyes
Maintain slow and deep breaths all the time
Hold for 5 counts and then exhale through your mouth or nose on release
4. Equal Breathing or “SamaVritti”:
This breathing technique helps you relieve your body from stress and clears you mind.
Slowly breathe in through your nose as you count to 4
In a similar way, slowly breathe out on a count of 4
Focus on your breathe, as breathing through your nose helps in providing natural resistance
5. Guided Visualization:
Relax yourself completely
Lie down and close your eyes and imagine yourself in a “happy place”, focus on pleasant things
Take a deep breath through your nose
Visualize yourself in a desired direction; do not let negative thoughts shatter your mind
Embrace this peaceful mind position for few seconds and relax your body
6. Skull Shining Breath or “Kapalabhati”:
Begin with a slow and long inhale, followed by a quick and powerful exhale
While breathing out, remember that it should be generated from the lower belly by contracting it completely
Continue the procedure as fast as you can by inhaling-exhaling every two seconds
Repeat this breathing technique for 10 times
