Deep Breathing Exercises for Stress ReliefDeep breathing exercises are a simple and effective way to reduce stress. These breathing exercises promote relaxation, activate the relaxation response and reduce stress. Deep breathing has a number of benefits that extend beyond stress management. When you breathe deeply your diaphragm massages the internal organs and promotes health. Deep breathing increases the oxygen to your muscles and facilitates the removal of waste products.
Here I provide two deep breathing exercises. These deep breathing exercises include:
Deep breathing exercises: 5 Breaths to RelaxationPromote a state of relaxation and calmness with this deep breathing exercise. Place your left hand over navel and your right hand on your chest. Take a couple of normally breaths. Are both hands moving? Is one hand moving? Which? Once you have an idea of diaphragmatic breathing you should notice your left hand move (as your abdomen fills with air) and then your lungs will rise slightly as the lungs fill. Sitting in a comfortable position with your back straight and feet flat on the floor you are ready to begin. Close your eyes and breathe normally for a few breaths. Let's begin. Slowly breathe in through your nose. Feel the air moving in through your nose and down into the bottom third of your abdomen. Feel the abdomen rise as you contrinue to fill the middle third and the top third into the lungs....hold very briefly. Now slowly exhale your breath through slightly pursed lips as your lungs empty, then your abdomen - as your stomach muscles begin to squeeze all the air out. One more time. Taking another breath in. Feel the air travelling through your nose to the depths of the abdomen. Imagine all the muscles in your body filling with oxygen - expanding with nourishing life force. And then, exhale. Let your muscles relax and sink into the share with heaviness. Again breathe in. This time feel the air moving through your nose and into the bottom of the abdomen. Filling the abdomen from the bottom up with air. Fill the abdomens and lungs until you can't breathe in any more...hold...hold...and now slowly exhale, allowing your stomach to tighten as you exhale. How different does your body feel? Your body feels relaxed and heavy, the gentle warmth of your muscles. Not you are going to continue again with the same breath with the stomach and then the lungs. But this time slowly count to 10. When you get to 10....hold for 3....and now breathe out for 12. Do this one more time. You should be feeling less stressed and more relaxed. Practice this 5 times a day (about 15-20 minutes in total) and you will probably notice some changes in the next week or two. Deep breathing exercises - The Quieting ReflexThis breathing exercise is adapted from Dr Charles Stroebel, a psychologist and expert in stress management at Yale University. When stressed there are a number of physiological reactions that characterize the fight or flight response. These include a number of stress symptoms such as increased vigilance, muscle tension, increased breathing rate and a drop in temperature in the hands and feet. To interrupt this stress response, Dr Stroebel developed a relaxation breathing technique. With practice he says that the Quieting Reflex can relax you in 6 seconds. The steps are:
The Quieting Reflex is done with your eyes open. It only takes 6 seconds so practice at work, practice while you are waiting in line or any other place. Use reminders, I like to do the Quieting Reflex whenever my cell rings. Several months of daily practice, up to 100 times a day (that’s only 10 minutes), the Quieting Reflex is argued to counter the stress response. The Quieting Reflex has been shown to be effective for stress headaches and migraine headache relief , sleep problems, increased blood pressure and for people who have the fight or flight response activated often. Have A Deep Breathing Exercise You Use for Stress Relief?Do you have a great deep breathing exercise to reduce stress? Share it! What Other Visitors Have SaidClick below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
Nostril breathing
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Deep breathing exercise before public speaking
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Deep breathing exercise and stress management
Not rated yet Other relaxation strategies for stress reliefThere are a more deep breathing exercises that you can use to promote relaxation and reduce stress. Here are some breathing relaxation techniques and other relaxation strategies.
 This breathing technique is the foundation of many relaxation techniques. By developing diaphragmatic breathing skills you promote your health and take more control of stress. Here are the steps and various tips to diaphragmatic breathing.
When stressed, the symptoms of stress can lead to further stress. For example, when stressed your breathing rate may increase, making your more stressed and anxious, which further increases your stress and so forth. Here we provide you with a breathing technique that stops the cycle of stress. Clients have found this breathing technique useful before public speaking, big notch performances and exams.
 Meditation benefits include among many other things stress relief. Meditation can promote health and balance and focus the mind, in addition to reducing stress. These meditation techniques activate the relaxation response and can be used for stress relief.
This mindful meditation cultivates and awareness of the breath. By practicing this mindful breathing meditation you practice "staying in the present" rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. Related Articles
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