Modern life often leads to stress for many people, and a healthy way to deal with stress is by practicing deep breathing exercises. Deep breathing spurs relaxation of the body and mind, releasing tension from stress. According to Sarah Novotny and Len Kravitz of the University of New Mexico, one form of deep breathing often practiced in yoga and tai chi, pranayama, has a positive effect on the immune system and the autonomic nervous system, reducing hypertension and stress-related disorders.
Features
There are many ways to practice deep breathing, but in general, most forms involve prolonged inhales and exhales, with a focus on the breath. According to Better Health Channel, when people are stressed, they breathe shallowly through the chest. Abdominal breathing, on the other hand, is often used as a deep breathing technique to combat stress because it helps the autonomic nervous system relax, causing a variety of health benefits.
Significance
Most people under stress take short, shallow breaths, which can trigger a variety of reactions in the body, including feelings of dizziness, panic, muscle tightness, headaches, tiredness, fatigue and tingling. Long-term effects of stress can include high blood pressure, migraines, insomnia, anxiety disorders and weight loss or gain. According to Jon Kabat-Zinn, director of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, the more distress your body is in from stress, the worse you will feel psychologically, so combating stress is important to your mental health.
Identification
To practice basic deep breathing, Harvard Health Publications recommends sitting or lying down in a quiet place and focusing on your breath. Place your hand on your abdomen and inhale deeply, pulling the air into your stomach, causing it to rise. Exhale slowly, letting the breath leave your abdomen, focusing on the stress and waste leaving your body. Practice this deep breathing exercise for longer periods until you build up to 20 minutes each day, according to Harvard Health Publications.
Considerations
People have different experiences and results with different breathing techniques, so try a variety of methods until you find the technique that works best for you. Some popular forms of deep breathing exercises include yoga, tai chi, visualization and meditation. Within these exercises, there are also a variety of schools of thought and methods of practice. If you find it hard to practice deep breathing on your own, enroll in a class for guidance and support.
Misconceptions
Deep breathing exercises do not make stress disappear from your life, but instead help you cope with stress by releasing the toxins associated with it in your body and mind. Kabat-Zinn says he does not make his anxiety patients' fears disappear, but he teaches the patients to be mindful and focus on their breathing and physical presence, which can reduce and replace anxious thoughts.
