Breathing exercises for stress

Breathing is something you do automatically, day in and day out, but how often do you tune into it? 

Focusing on your breath allows you to take a break from the chatter of your mind and bring yourself into the present moment. Taking deliberate deep breaths also helps to soothe your body during times of stress and anxiety by kick-starting your body’s ‘rest and digest’ system and reducing the effects of the fight or flight response.

Before beginning your breathing exercises, set yourself up comfortably.

1. Find a position where your spine is gently elongated (but not strained), perhaps sitting in a chair or cross-legged on the floor. Make any last adjustments, such as rolling your shoulders or turning your head from side to side, so you are comfortable being still.
2. When you feel ready, you may like to close your eyes. Otherwise, maintain a soft focus on a point not too far in front of you (this is a great option if you think you might fall asleep!).
3. Start to attend to the present moment, letting other thoughts or distractions softly fall away.
4. You may notice your mind wandering during breathing exercises, and that’s okay. Just bring your focus back to your breath as soon as you can. You may have to bring your attention back once, twice or even 20 times. Just keep practising and it will start feeling more natural in time.

These breathing techniques can work towards helping you manage stress. Everybody is different, so try each one to find out what works for you.

Start to notice the journey of each breath, moving in and out of your body. See if you can follow this journey for a little while.

When it feels right, begin to focus on the pause at the end of each exhale (before the next inhale begins). There’s no need to alter the length of this pause. It may be very short, or it may be a little longer. This pause is also called the ‘point of stillness’, a small space of quiet and rest which you can learn to appreciate.

This is a particularly powerful breathing exercise to reduce stress. Place one hand on your stomach and one hand on your chest. Simply feel the movement as each breath inflates and deflates.

You may like to deepen your breaths to maximise oxygen intake and help activate the parasympathetic nervous system (your body’s ‘rest and digest’ mechanism that counteracts the fight or flight response).

With this exercise, you’re aiming to create an ocean sound in the back of your throat. Gently place your tongue on the roof of your mouth to slightly narrow your throat, but be careful not to tense up too much. You should still feel comfortable and relaxed. Begin to take deeper breaths and notice the ocean sound being created by your breathing.

This breathing exercise involves 2 steps. The first is to picture a circular shape in your mind and as you inhale, visualising your breath moving up one side of the circle. As you exhale, imagine your breath moving down the other side of the circle.

Once this feels comfortable, begin incorporating the second step by smoothing out your breath so there aren’t any noticeable pauses in the breath cycle. As soon as one breath finishes, the next one begins. If the second step doesn’t feel right for you, return to step one by simply visualising your breath moving around the circular shape.

Breathing to relax doesn’t always need to be serious. Try this fun breathing exercise in a moment of need. Simply breathe in for 3 seconds, hold for 3 and breathe out for 3.

If it helps, you might like to visualise a waltzing movement in your mind. Otherwise, just focus on counting and finding a pace that works well for you. Not too fast, not too slow. You should notice a deepening and lengthening of your breathing pattern, but not so much that it leaves you feeling out of breath.

Let your attention move away from your breath by starting to notice the world around you. Listen to sounds, notice your sense of smell and taste and feel sensations in your body (such as areas of tension or relaxation, or the texture of materials against your skin). When you’re ready, open your eyes and reconnect with your sense of sight.

While it’s great to take the time to make breathing exercises part of your regular routine, they can also be used for specific stressful situations. For example, you may use the deep breathing technique before a public speaking presentation and the elliptical breathing technique if you wake up during the night with a racing mind.