10 Breathing Exercises for Stress & Anxiety

Relax your neck and shoulders. Keep your mouth shut. Deep breath slowly through the nose for 2 counts. Pout your lips like you're going to whistle. Finally, slowly exhale through pursed lips to 4 counts.

Pursed Lip Breathing

This is also called "breathing from the belly." When you are calm, this exercise will work best for you. You can do this three to four times a day for five to ten minutes each time.

Diaphragmatic Breathing

This method uses focus words or imagery. This requires you to contemplate a word or phrase that makes you happy, relaxed, or neutral. It could be “peace” or “relax” or any other phrase that can be focused on or repeated during the breathing exercise.

Breath Focus Technique

Alternate-nostril breathing (nadi shodhana) involves breathing through one nostril while blocking the other. The goal is regular alternate nostril breathing. This is best done sitting down to maintain posture.

Switch-Nostril Breathing

Four counts of exhalation. Keep your lungs empty for four counts. After, count four inhalations. Hold your breath for another four counts. Exhale and repeat the new breathing pattern.

Box Breathing

This is relaxing breath. It naturally calms the nervous system. Sitting with your back straightened is best for learning this, but you can eventually do it lying down.

Breathing

Focusing on breathing without changing the rhythm is required for this technique. This method may help anxiety, stress, sleep, and high blood pressure. This may be meditation.

Mindful Breathing

This deep breathing technique teaches lion roars and tongue-sticking. This reduces stress, relaxes muscles, and boosts cardiovascular function. I recommend sitting with your hands on your knees or floor and leaning forward.

Lion’s Breath

Equal inhales and exhales are the goal of this breathing technique. Balance is achieved. Typically, people count 3 to 5. Other daily tasks can be done with equal breathing.

Equal Breathing

It may sound like other breathing exercises. Inhale and exhale for 5 counts to do this breathing technique. This breathing rate may increase HRV and reduce stress.

Equal Breathing

also see

also see

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