10 Best Breathing Techniques for Anxiety: A Guide to Calming Your Mind

Anxiety is a feeling that most people usually deal with in their lives. Whether triggered by something in their daily lives, work-related problems, or personal issues, anxiety can be a difficult thing to manage. But what if we tell you that one of the most straightforward solutions to coping with anxiety comes from within? One’s breath!

Breathing techniques to fight anxiety are some of the best practices you can use to fight mental stress, reduce your pace, and bring stability to your feelings. Most of these techniques can be done anywhere and at any time, making them incredibly useful to combat anxiety in day-to-day life. 

In this post, we will explore the best breathing techniques for anxiety and help you use breathing exercises to manage and control your emotions, de-stress your body, and bring your stress in check once again.

Alternate-Nostril Breathing

Alternate-nostril breathing helps with mental relaxation and energy balance while promoting complete calmness. Due to its increasing popularity, this technique can be used in yoga and meditation sessions.

How It Works

In this technique, the practitioner alternates breathing through one nostril while blocking the other until switching sides. The regular movements in this activity tend to relieve the nervous system, making it suitable for individuals who have experienced anxiety-reducing exercises.

Step-by-Step Guide to Alternate-Nostril Breathing:

1. Sitting in an armchair or on the floor with a straight back is best.
2. When comfortable, close your right nostril with your thumb and fully inhale through the left nostril.
3. With your left nostril closed, open your right nostril. Close the right nostril with your right thumb.
4. Exhale entirely through the right nostril.
5. You may inhale deeply through the closed nostril and close it with your right thumb.
6. You may close your left nostril and exhale from that side.
7. Repeating this cycle for five to ten minutes will help you relax.

Alternate nostril breathing is helpful for stress relief and calming exercises for anxiety. It balances the body and mind. This technique can be used anytime to regain focus and calm nerves. It is pretty simple to incorporate into daily life, which makes it one of the best breathing techniques for anxiety.

Belly Breathing

This breathing technique is often called “abdominal” or “diaphragmatic breathing,” and it is one of the standard methods for reducing anxiety. It engages the diaphragm in deep breathing, lowering the heart rate and relieving muscle tension.

Why It Works

Under anxiety, the body tends to breathe with high chest and shallow breaths, and that can elevate anxiety. Belly or diaphragmatic breathing is helpful here, as it helps a person to breathe more deeply, utilizes more oxygen, and encourages the parasympathetic nervous system to the calm portion of our body.

Step-by-Step Guide to Belly Breathing:

• Find a comfortable position, either sitting down or lying on your back.
• One hand covers the chest, and the other covers the stomach.
• Breathe in with your belly fully expanded through your nose, causing the hand on your belly to rise smoothly with inhalation.
• Then, breathe out, allowing your belly to sink smoothly with your mouth open.
• Practice this for 5 – 10 minutes. Be sure to focus on each breath being slower and more profound than the previous one.

For those who are experiencing anxiety, the best technique they can apply is belly breathing, which is very simple and yields immediate results. Stress and tension can be relieved quickly when seated at a desk or on your bed.

Box Breathing

Box breathing, sometimes referred to as square breathing, is a technique that is quite simple to master and immensely helpful in calming one down and restoring focus. It breaks the breathing into four equal segments which include inhalation, holding, exhalation, and holding again. 

Why It’s So Effective

This is often done by athletes, military personnel, or women seeking to gain control over their breath or perhaps relax a bit. It will control breathing while hiding the effects of stress, such as pounding heart and hyperventilation.

Step-by-Step Guide to Box Breathing:

1. Sit comfortably with your back straight.
2. Breathe through your nose slowly for a four-count.
3. Hold your breath for a four-count.
4. Breathe out through your mouth slowly for a four-count.
5. Pause your breathing for 4 seconds again.
6. Continue with this cycle for 5 – 10 minutes.

It’s handy for managing stress or feeling overwhelmed, since it helps you bring your breath under control while allowing you to center your thoughts on the present. It can help alleviate anxiety in almost any situation.

4-7-8 Breathing

The 4-7-8 Breathing Method is well known for anxiety control because it slows one’s heart rate and relaxes the nervous system.

Why It Works

The 4-7-8 breathing method replicates the body’s natural rhythm during relaxation. Deep breath intake and a pause during breath holding trigger anxiety and tension release due to the body’s relaxation response.

Step-by-Step Guide to 4-7-8 Breathing:

• Rest in a posture where your back is straight and comfortable.
• Now, shut your eyes and breathe deeply in your nose for 4 seconds.
• Hold your breath for 7 seconds.
• Slowly exhale through your mouth for 8 seconds.
• Continue repeating the steps for five rounds.

This technique is a perfect option if you are anxious, especially before bed, or need a quick remedy for out-of-control feelings. It is straightforward and practical for any person looking for calming exercises for anxiety.

Lion’s Breath

Lion’s breath focuses on anxiety relief and is a unique, more active, and emotional breathing exercise that involves the physical release of tension built up over time.

Why It’s Beneficial

A lion’s breath allows you to release negative energy and tension, similar to roaring like a lion. It also assists in relieving stress and anxiety from the jaw, face, and neck.

Step-by-Step Guide to Lion’s Breath:

1. Lean on the back of a straight chair or sit erect on a flat surface.
2. Inhale through your nose, exhale through your mouth while pushing your tongue out.
3. With a strong breath, produce a mighty ‘ha’ like a lion’s roar while exhaling.
4. Focus on the release of tension with every breath for 5 – 10 cycles.

Lion’s breath is an exercise that helps with anxiety by physically relieving tension. This technique is helpful for people who store stress in their faces and jaws.

Mindfulness Breathing

Mindfulness breathing methods for anxiety integrate mindfulness with relief breathing exercises. This method asks that you concentrate on your breath, noting the feelings that each inhale and exhale brings without criticism.

Why It Works

Attention disorders linked with anxiety could be solved by deep breathing. It’s fundamentally part of mindfulness meditations, shifting the focus away from stressful and anxious moments.

Step-by-Step Guide to Mindfulness Breathing:

• Ensure you’re sitting comfortably and your eyes and other body parts that need rest are closed.
• Now begin your breathing and try not to change anything. Just observe your breath as it is.
• Feel the air entering and leaving your body.
• Whenever you think of other things, just focus back on the place of your breath and do not criticize yourself or feel guilty.
• Try this exercise for 5 – 10 minutes. Extend that time if you want.

Mindfulness breathing is an effective coping mechanism that can help when you feel anxiety building. It can be incorporated into daily life as a simple exercise for anxiety-reducing exercises.

Pursed-Lip Breathing

Pursed-lip breathing encourages deep inhalation while gradually lengthening the exhalation. This technique is commonly used to manage stress and shortness of breath during anxious moments.

How It Helps with Anxiety

Pursed lip breathing can help manage hyperventilation. Concentrating on both the exhalation and the relaxation of muscles calms thoughts to help alleviate anxiety.

Step-by-Step Guide to Pursed-Lip Breathing:

1. Check if you are seated or standing. Adjust as necessary for comfort.
2. Inhale as slowly as possible through your nose for a count of 2.
3. Purse your lips and exhale for a count of 4, as if blowing out a candle.
4. Continue practicing for 5 to 10 minutes.

These are the easiest yet some of the most effective breathing exercises for anxiety that you can try during panic attacks in case you want to try easing shortness of breath.

Resonance Breathing

Resonance breathing, or coherent breathing as it is also named, involves a practitioner breathing at a speed that matches body systems. It’s good for lowering heart rate, blood pressure, and for reducing anxiety.

How It Works

Resonance breathing helps you achieve self-regulation. Breathing causes vibrations or energies within the body, stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system.

Step-by-Step Guide to Resonance Breathing:

• Sit comfortably with a straight spine and arms resting on the thighs.
• Inhale through the nose for a count of 5.
• Exhale through the mouth for a count of 5.
• Repeat this cycle for a specified period between five and ten minutes.

Resonance breathing is considered one of the more science-supported techniques for anxiety, as it is known to encourage relaxation and lower stress levels.

Simple Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercise

Diaphragmatic breathing, also known as deep belly breathing, is a straightforward and efficient technique that utilizes the diaphragm, enabling full breathing and greater oxygen consumption.

Why It Works

This exercise encourages deep, slow breathing, which helps alleviate anxiety and reduce cortisol, the body’s stress hormone.

Step-by-Step Guide to Diaphragmatic Breathing:

1. Find a comfortable seated or lying down position.
2. Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.
3. Belly breathe by inhaling deeply through your nose and allowing it to expand for the breath.
4. With your mouth open, slowly exhale and allow your belly to fall.
5. Repeat this process for 5 – 10 minutes.

This is an effective technique against anxiety and can be administered at any time when stress is overwhelming.

Cheat Breathing Vs. Abdominal Breathing

The thoracic and abdominal breathing methods are competing breathing control techniques. The two are characterized, suitable, and ideal for different intents.

Thoracic (Chest) Breathing

Thoracic breathing is the shallowest form of breathing. It occurs in response to stress or anxiety, which triggers increased short and shallow breaths as panic and stress set in.

Diaphragmatic (Abdominal) Breathing

This form of breathing focuses on taking air from deep within the belly. This employs the performance of the parasympathetic nervous system, which regulates anxiety, to keep it under control. This does a great deal to erase distress since it lowers the level of anxiety and the level of distress. 

Take Control of Your Anxiety With These Breathing Techniques

Integrating anxiety-relief breathing exercises into your daily routine can relieve tension in the body and promote general health. They can be performed anywhere, at work, home, or public.

Are you ready to deal with your anxiety and manage stress? Try any of these breathwork techniques. We assure you you will feel the results immediately! Keep visiting us for more tips and strategies on coping with stress and anxiety. We regularly provide helpful information regarding wellness and exercises meant to reduce anxiety.

FAQs

How quickly can breathing techniques reduce anxiety? 

Breathing exercises and techniques can help you calm down and help your nervous system. It might take less than five minutes to realize the continued results of box breathing or belly breathing.

Can breathing exercises be used during a panic attack? 

A panic attack starts when a patient can brace themselves for an episode and go through several breathing techniques. Concentrated methods, including 4-7-8 breathing, pursed-lip breathing, and even basic dyspnea, help inhibit hyperventilation, heart rate, and other symptoms likely to be experienced in a panic attack scenario.

How often should I practice breathing exercises for anxiety? 

Fortunately, regular practice is required to gain maximum benefit from any learned technique. Even a few minutes of breathing practice each day can change how you will handle anxiety and stress for the rest of the day.

Are there any side effects of breathing techniques? 

Proper technique and precautions while performing breathing exercises are not harmful. However, if you have underlying respiratory issues, consult a physician beforehand.

Which breathing technique is the most effective for anxiety? 

Deep-breathing methods may differ from one person to the other. Most of the people who suffer from anxiety tend to engage their anxiety using Belly Breathing and Box Breathing techniques. It is pretty easy to learn these techniques, which will help relieve you quickly.