How breathing exercises can calm anxiety
Breathing exercises calm anxiety by counteracting the body's fight-or-flight response, promoting relaxation through slow, deep breaths that slow the heart rate and lower blood pressure. By consciously controlling your breath, you can shift from shallow, rapid breathing to deeper, more rhythmic patterns, which activates the body's rest-and-digest system (parasympathetic nervous system). This process helps increase oxygen intake, which can prevent dizziness and a lightheaded feeling often associated with anxiety, and provides a grounding focus for your mind.
How it works
Counteracts the stress response: Anxiety triggers the sympathetic nervous system, leading to a rapid heart rate and shallow breathing. Slow, deep breathing techniques stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which reverses these effects and brings your body back to a state of calm.
Increases oxygen intake: When anxious, you may breathe too quickly, which can lead to an imbalance of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Deep breathing ensures your body gets enough oxygen, which can prevent symptoms like dizziness and lightheadedness.
Slows heart rate and lowers blood pressure: Deep breathing signals your body to relax, which helps to lower your heart rate and blood pressure.
Provides a mental anchor: Focusing on the physical sensation of breathing, or on a specific pattern like counting, gives your mind a task to focus on, helping to interrupt spiraling thoughts and providing a grounding anchor when you feel overwhelmed.
Breathing techniques to try
Box Breathing: Inhale for a count of four, hold your breath for four, exhale for four, and then hold again for four. Visualize a square as you breathe to help maintain focus.
Equal Breathing (Sama Vritti): Inhale through your nose for the same count that you exhale. For example, inhale for a count of five and exhale for a count of five.
Longer Exhalations: Inhale for a shorter count, like 3 seconds, and then exhale for double that duration, like 6 seconds. This helps combat the fight-or-flight response.
Belly Breathing: Place your hand on your belly and focus on making your belly rise as you inhale and fall as you exhale.
Cyclic Sighing: This involves one longer, double inhale (a "sighing" exhale) followed by a complete exhale. Research shows it can improve positive feelings and lower resting breathing rate.
