Deep Breathing to Help Anxiety
If you’re anything like me, this year has been a lot for you. We’ve had a lot to take in, a lot to think about, a lot of changes to make, a lot of uncertainty, and a lot of pain. Individually and as a whole. One of the things that has helped me as I try to navigate all this is having a more consistent deep breathing practice. At the most basic level, research shows that our brain triggers a stress response (also called “fight or flight”) when it thinks we are encountering some kind of danger. This can be helpful at times; however, when this response is being triggered daily by financial worries, political issues, racism, relationship problems, global pandemics, and whatever else is causing you stress it can cause significant health issues. This can include immune system suppression as well as anxiety and depression.
Since we can’t avoid most sources of stress, coming up with some ways to manage or respond to them can be helpful. What the research shows is that deep breathing actually reduces anxiety by slowing down our heartbeat and lowering blood pressure. One of the huge advantages of deep breathing is that our body can respond quickly and we can do it from anywhere. However, it’s really important that you know that breathing this way can feel uncomfortable at first. Bringing the awareness to your physical body and breath can also be challenging for people who have experienced trauma. So, if you give it a try and it feels uncomfortable in any way, make any adjustments you need, or just stop. That’s okay too. If you’re okay with sitting with the discomfort a bit, try deep breathing for just a few minutes a day. See if you can make it a regular part of your routine. It’s a small thing we can do that can potentially have a pretty big impact on our overall physical and mental health.
Let’s Practice
Find a quiet space where you can get comfortable. You can sit or lie down—whatever feels most comfortable to you. Feel free to close your eyes if that’s what feels good to you. Once you’ve settled in, just start to notice your normal breath. Then, slowly begin to take deeper breaths…slowly through your nose, noticing your chest and belly rise as the air fills you up. Now, breathe out slowly through your mouth or nose, whatever feels better to you. Focus in on your breathing and complete a few breaths this way.
Once breathing in this way feels a bit more comfortable to you, there’s a lot of different options you can try to invoke relaxation and a decrease in feelings of anxiety. Here’s just a few:
Think of a word or phrase that you can repeat to yourself with each inhale and/or exhale. This can be as simple as “relax” or can be the words “soft belly” or an affirmation that is specific to you.
Imagine a place where you would feel most at peace and relaxed. Perhaps a place you make up or a place you remember as safe and peaceful from your past. Maybe it’s a seat by the river or a cozy cabin, whatever feels good to you. Try to think of all the details of the place and bring this image to mind as you inhale and exhale.
Focus your attention on each part of your body, relaxing each part as you move through. Imagine relaxing your toes, your feet, your legs, all the way to the top of your head.
Practicing deep breathing is something you can do on your own, in your car, in front of your computer, before a Zoom meeting, before a Dr’s appointment, anywhere! There’s a ton of resources out there if it’s something you want to explore further and if you have questions, let me know!
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