High blood pressure is one of the top health conditions in the world. Below we review three breathing exercises for high blood pressure.
High blood pressure affects 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. and can lead to a heart attack and stroke. Knowing what the symptoms of high blood pressure look like can help you resolve it before it’s too late.
A study on the effects of alternate nostril breathing on blood pressure found that blood pressure, heart rate, and rate pressure decreased after a five-day alternate nostril breathing exercise routine. The study also concluded that alternate nostril breathing can effectively reduce high blood pressure.
Three Breathing Exercises
Practices like yoga and meditation use deep-breathing exercises, but trying them out on their own is also helpful. Try one or all three exercises below whenever you’re feeling stressed and overwhelmed.
- Focus your breath. Breath as you normally would.
- Inhale a long, deep breath in through your nose. Let your heart and belly lift and spread as you inhale.
- Exhale and slowly let the air out of your body.
- Now go back to your regular breathing.
- Repeat this process about 5 to 10 times.
- After doing this a few times, slowly return to your regular breathing. Pay attention to how you feel and how present you are in the moment.
- Begin by focusing on your breath. Practice your regular breathing.
- Inhale and pay attention to how many counts it takes to fill your lungs comfortably, without overexerting your breathing. Is it 3, 4, 5 counts?
- Exhale softly, noticing your lungs and belly deflate. Make your exhale the same length as your inhale. Practice this for a few rounds.
- Now, lengthen your exhales by two counts. So, if your inhales are 3 counts long, your exhales should now be 5 counts long.
- If needed, you can return to your regular breathing for a few counts. Be gentle with yourself and never strain.
- After 10 rounds, return to your regular breathing pattern.
- When finished, acknowledge your efforts, then slowly move about, maintaining the calmness you just experienced..
Bhramari Breath (Bee Breath)
- Focus on your breath. Practice your regular breathing.
- Close your eyes. Cover your ears with your hands to block outside sounds.
- Take a slow, deep breath.
- Exhale, and as you do, make a humming sound until you finish exhaling. It should sound like a honey bee vibrating inside your body.
- Practice this for 5 to 6 rounds. Then, remove your hands from your ears and stay still as the sound and vibration of the humming disperses through your body.
- When finished, practice some gentle breathing before moving on to your next activity.
Benefits of Breathing Exercises
Deep breathing can help lower blood pressure and reduce stress. Practicing lengthened exhalation activates the calming effects of the parasympathetic nervous system, lowering blood pressure.
Taking small steps each day to improve your blood pressure will help reduce your risk of heart disease and bring peace of mind. If you need extra help in reducing your blood pressure, look no further than HeartBeet Complete.
It helps support blood pressure, cholesterol, and also helps with energy levels and circulation. Add HeartBeet Complete to your routine along with these breathing exercises to experience the maximum benefits.