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Breathing Exercises for Anxiety: 7 Exercises to Beat Anxiousness

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Anxiety disorders now affect 40 million American adults every year. 

These anxiety disorders involve an extreme reaction to real or perceived stress, whereby the body’s normal ‘fight-or-flight’ response becomes exaggerated to overwhelming levels. As well as racing thoughts and feelings of unease and dread, anxiety attacks can cause a range of physical reactions such as a racing heartbeat, dizziness, breathlessness, and, in turn, more anxiety.

Luckily, breathing exercises for anxiety can help control these physical symptoms, promote a sense of calm, and reduce feelings of anxiety. 

Breathing exercises work well because they help counteract the way an anxious person will often take shallow breaths from their chest. This type of thoracic breathing causes imbalanced oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. Your body then reads this as a stress response and continues in panic mode. But, practicing deeper, more controlled, or more mindful breathing helps your body relax and break this cycle of anxiety.

Want to know some of the best breathing exercises for anxiety and stress? Keep reading to find out!

1. Deep Breathing

Deep breathing is one of the best breathing exercises for anxiety as you can do it anywhere, including when you’re standing up. So, if waiting in line or busy crowds cause you anxiety, practicing deep breathing could be a big help.

To try this simple breathing method for yourself, relax your tummy and place one hand below the center of your rib cage. Then, take a deep, slow breath in through your nose, making sure to concentrate on your hand rising. As you breathe out through your mouth, notice your hand fall.

Focusing on your body’s physical reaction to breathing in this way is a great grounding technique that helps connect your mind and body as one.

2. Lengthen Your Exhale

Anxiety attacks can make you inhale too fast, causing you to hyperventilate as a result. One of the simplest and most effective breathing exercises for anxiety and stress involves concentration on your exhale instead.

When having an anxiety attack, start focusing and thinking about breathing. Start by taking a big breath, and push all the air out of your lungs with a deep exhale. The act of elongating your exhale ensures that you’re not forcing your lungs to take in too much air before they’re ready.

Try this over the space of a minute or two and you’ll soon feel your breathing returning to normal. This is because, with all the air out of your lungs, your lungs inhale in an automatic way rather than anything forced.

3. Breathing

Along with and talk therapy, self-help methods such as counting and journaling are some of the most effective ways to combat anxiety.

When combined with breathing exercises for anxiety, counting can help serve as a distraction as well as a way to control your blood-oxygen levels.

To perform this technique, breathe out through your mouth with a whooshing noise. Then, with your mouth closed, breathe in through your nose while counting to four. Next, hold your breath and count to seven, then breathe out again through your mouth, this time counting to eight. Repeat this sequence for around two to five minutes.

Here, you’re also lengthening your exhale, but counting and holding your breath make this method easier to follow for some people.

4. Diaphragmatic Breathing

It’s typical for doctors to recommend diaphragmatic breathing to people with a lung condition called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. But, as a 2017 study found, this breathing exercise is also helpful for reducing anxiety.

Like deep breathing, it can help connect your mind and body and make you feel more present as a way to beat anxiety. But, it’s best to perform this technique lying down for optimal results. 

To practice diaphragmatic breathing, place one hand on your upper chest and the other hand on your tummy. Start by breathing in through your nose, paying attention to your tummy rising. Then, purse your lips and breathe out, focusing on the way your tummy lowers. Repeat this cycle for two to five minutes.Â

5. Alternate Nostril Breathing

While this method isn’t exactly complicated, alternative nostril breathing does take a little more concentration than other breathing exercises to beat anxiety. As such, it’s a great way to distract yourself while also slowing down your breathing and decreasing your heart rate.

To try this technique, close your right-hand nostril with your right thumb and inhale slowly through your left nostril. Then, pinch your nose closed with your middle finger over your left-hand nostril to hold your breath for a moment. Keeping your middle finger on your left-hand nostril, release your right-hand nostril and exhale. Wait a moment, then inhale slowly through your right nostril before pinching your nose closed again, then repeat for 40 cycles.

6. Equal Breathing

As with many breathing exercises for anxiety, counting is an integral part of the ancient pranayama yoga practice of equal breathing.

First, you must cl ose your eyes and focus on how you’re breathing right now, making sure to be mindful of your lungs filling and emptying with each breath cycle. When you’re ready, start to inhale through your nose as you count to four very slowly. Then, exhale for the same slow and focused four-second count. Continue this process for two to five minutes, making sure to keep your inhale and exhale the same.

7. Qi Breathing

Breathing exercises to beat anxiety aren’t only for helping with anxiety attacks. You can also use them to overcome the kind of constant, insistent anxiety many people feel throughout the day.

One of the best methods to tackle this is Qi breathing, developed from traditional Chinese philosophy and medicine. Before you begin a breathing session, state your intention, such as to feel more relaxed. Then, start by inhaling and exhaling deeply through your nose in fast, one-second bursts. As you do so, imagine your breath flowing through your body in a circle.

After a minute or so, slow your breathing down, rocking forward as you exhale and back as you inhale. Maintain a quiet mind and focus on the flow of air through your body as you draw in energy and reap its benefits.

Breathing Exercises for Anxiety

As these breathing exercises for anxiety, there are many simple techniques for promoting feelings of calm.

For the best results, give each of these breathing exercises a try and see which you prefer. That way, you’ll already have a tried and tested method up your sleeve for the next time you’re feeling anxious.

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Feature photo by Vision Pic

About the author

Aubrey Stevens