When you are aware of your stress, one thing is automatically occurring. Your breathing is rapid and shallow from the upper portion of your lungs to keep your body's fight-or-flight systems going. This is happening whether you are aware of it or not. Breathing slowly and deeply gives you the needed oxygen to turn on the relaxation response, which is the key to anti-stress breathing.
Step 1
Find a time that you can be alone and undisturbed for at least 10 minutes. Turn off your cell phone, TV and music. Sit in a comfortable chair or lie on the couch, take off your shoes, loosen any tight clothing and feel comfortable. Stretch your arms and legs, and make sure your back is supported.
Step 2
Put a hand on your stomach and push it out as far as you can while slowly taking in a full breath through your nose. Use your abdominal muscles to draw your stomach in as far back as it will go while breathing out through your nose. This completes one breathing cycle. It is often referred to as diaphragmatic or abdominal breathing.
Step 3
Pause for three to five seconds after each full inhalation. You have more control of your diaphragm muscle when you are exhaling, so empty your lungs until you feel like you are totally out of air. Your exhalations will take a little longer than your inhalations, so do not pause at the end of the exhalations.
Step 4
Slow your breathing down from the normal 12 to 20 cycles per minute to four to seven cycles per minute. With practice, this will get easier and more natural.
Step 5
Add one minute per day to this practice until you reach a total of 20 to 30 minutes.
Tips and Warnings
- Focus on this in-and-out breathing for 10 minutes and you will feel calmer, more relaxed, and your racing thoughts will slow down. This deep breathing is what kicks on the body's relaxation response, so you might yawn and feel drowsy as well. You may notice that your hands feel warmer. This is due to the rerouting of the blood out to the limbs, and where blood pools there will be warmth. Your hands have a temperature range of 60 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Optimal hand temperature is above 90 degrees. Cold hands can be a sign of chronic stress.
- If you feel dizzy during the deep-breathing exercise, this means you are getting an extra burst of oxygen to your brain, and the dizziness will pass within several minutes.
