3 Simple Breathing Techniques for Anxiety
Most of us experience a certain degree of anxiety throughout the day.
When the anxiety levels are too uncomfortable, we seek ways to relieve it.
One of the ways to reduce this discomfort is to learn some breathing techniques for anxiety and to practice them often.
Breathing away stress and anxiety is simple. The following three - easy to learn - techniques will help you to reduce anxiety.
Breathing with sound
- Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed and sit in a comfortable position, with your back straight.
- Now, inhale through your nose and as you inhale, imagine that you are making the sound "hummmmm".
- Now, exhale through your mouth and actually make the sound of "hummmm" as you let all the air out of your lungs.
- Don't strain yourself to inhale or exhale, just do what you can comfortably.
- Inhale and exhale without a sound.
- Inhale and imagine a sound, exhale and actually make the sound of "hummmm".
- Pay attention to what this feels like in your diaphragm.
- Your diaphragm should expand when you inhale and contract when you exhale and hum.
- Repeat for 5 minutes.
The 3 part breath
- Set aside 5 minutes and find a quiet space.
- Sit in a comfortable position with your back straight and feet flat on the floor.
- Take a few slow deep breaths to get in touch with your body.
- Inhale into your belly.
- Inhale into your diaphragm.
- Inhale into your chest.
- Exhale from your chest.
- Exhale from your diaphragm.
- Exhale from your belly.
- That's it. Repeat for 5 minutes.
The last of these breathing techniques for anxiety is:
The walking breath
- Set aside 5-10 minutes and find a quiet space where you will not be disturbed.
- Stand straight with your shoulders relaxed.
- Get in touch with your body by focusing on the sensations of your feet touching the ground.
- Feel your feet in your shoes or if you are barefoot, feel the ground underneath.
- Take a slow step forward and inhale.
- Pause for couple seconds and take another very slow step and exhale.
- Make sure your steps are very slow and deliberate. You want your breathing to slow down and to be long and smooth.
I hope that you will benefit by practicing breathing techniques for anxiety. To learn more about breathing and the benefits of breathing exercises, choose from the following articles:
Benefits of breathing exercises
Breathing meditation technique
Breathing relaxation techniques
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