3 Effective Breathing Exercises to Calm Anxiety and Regain Focus

Breathing exercises
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Anxiety can be overwhelming and crippling. Although the body needs it as it fires the fight-or-flight response, too much of it is bad. Many people suffer from anxiety, and everyone will experience it at some point in their lives. This can be from waiting for news or during competitions, etc. When it becomes overwhelming, anxiety can cause fear or distress. However, for some, anxiety is a medical condition and can be debilitating. Thankfully, there are breathing exercises that can help calm anxiety and help you to regain focus.

Breathing Exercises

Breathing has a powerful impact on the nervous system and can significantly alter one’s mood. This is why doctors often recommend breathing exercises for anxiety and stress relief. Breathing exercises can help the diaphragm regain its springiness for better breathing. They also help increase oxygen levels, lower blood pressure, and slow down the heart rate. This way, the body is relaxed and able to handle many things. Here are three breathing exercises to help you regain focus and reduce anxiety.

Longer Exhale

The longer exhale is one of the best breathing exercises for eliminating anxiety. You can do it while lying down, sitting, or standing up. When you exhale deeply, you activate the body’s parasympathetic nervous system, which helps you relax. To do the lengthier exhale, first push out all the air in the lungs by exhaling for long. Then, inhale some air and exhale longer than you have inhaled. Do this for two to five minutes. Note that you should avoid breathing too rapidly as you can hyperventilate.

Breath Focus

Breath focus is another great exercise that can reduce anxiety. You do this by ensuring that your breathing is focused and slow. You can also do this breathing exercise lying or sitting down. However, it must be in a quiet and comfortable place so you can concentrate. To begin, breathe in and out and observe what it feels like to do that. Take a mental note of your body’s state, whether there is tension or not. Afterward, slowly inhale while observing your belly and upper body expanding.

Release the breath you held in and repeat this process for several minutes. You should continue to take note of your belly’s upward and downward movement. While exhaling, you can repeat affirmative words to help you calm down better. Then, imagine that inhaling is a gentle wave cleansing you while exhaling removes negative energy, thoughts, and feelings. Be sure to focus on this breathing exercise while you are doing it. You can do this for up to 20 minutes daily.

Resonant Breathing

Resonant breathing is the third of the best breathing exercises to help you calm down and reduce anxiety. To do this breathing exercise, lie down and close your eyes. Then, gently inhale using your nose with your mouth closed for six seconds. Try not to take in too much air, however. Next, breathe out for another six seconds so the air leaves your body slowly and calmly. Do this for 10 minutes and lie still for another five minutes to observe how you feel.

If not well managed, anxiety can have bad effects on the body. It can cause sleep and digestive disorders. It can also cause heart palpitations and tension. Therefore, you need to manage it as best as you can. These breathing exercises can reduce anxiety and take charge of your body and life.

#Clique, will you try these breathing techniques? Let us know in the comments.

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