5 Ways To Use Your Breath To Reduce Stress
Oct 21, 2019
5 Ways to Use Your Breath to Reduce Stress
With the advancements of the 21st century comes the stress of the hustle. Therapy and prescription medicines are recommended for chronic stress, but an alternative is breathing techniques that can calm you during stormy times. Integrate these five habits in your life and show anxiety who’s the boss.
- The 4-7-8 breathing method
A good night sleep can help you forgo half of your worries, but how do you induce such a sleep? The 4-7-8 method instructs to inhale through the nose for four counts, hold your breath for seven, and then exhale through the mouth while counting till eight. This helps converge your attention on a primary task rather than letting your mind drift towards hefty tensions.
- Detoxify your lungs with deep breathing
Shallow breaths are a sign of anxiety. They do not allow all the deoxygenated air in the lungs to be breathed out. Close your eyes and take deeper breaths, while ensuring that you exhale all the toxic air from your lungs.
- A meditative exercise to keep your temper in check
Meditate for ten minutes every day to put you in the right frame of mine. You can also use this technique when infuriating or stressful thoughts come to your mind. Mediation works wonders to relax your body and mind.
- Visualize exhaling out your worries with each breath
The human brain is programmed to overthink, and you need to learn to trick it out of this habit. The strong influence of visualization comes into play here. Picture your lungs as balloons filled with worry, and with each exhalation imagine you are letting the worry out.
- Aromatherapy
Essential oils have been used for centuries for soothing physical and mental distress. Breathing in air filled with lavender or lemongrass oil have proven to relieve tension and anxiety. You can have a diffuser with scents that calm you down or spray a diluted oil on yourself and go about your day.
Something so simple, like breath, doesn’t seem like it would be helpful. This is something we do without thinking, how can it help to reduce stress. By practicing one or more of these exercises, you will quickly find how helpful breath can be.
