7 Breathing Exercises to Unlock Calm in 5 Minutes or Less

This post is about all things breathing exercises. It includes 7 breathing techniques to help you transform stress into tranquillity. You can use these 5 minute techniques for anxiety, sleep, kids, and relaxation.

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Rates of stress are at an all-time high and our mental health is suffering as a consequence. 

In fact, recent reports show that 44% of people experience a lot of stress on a daily basis, with burnout reaching as much as 40%. 

There are so many ways that we can learn to manage our stress but one of the most effective techniques is breathing exercises. 

Breathing plays a huge role in emotional and physiological health. 

It’s a powerful tool to help our bodies switch from a state of stress into a state of relaxation. 

Staying in a chronic state of stress is bad for our long-term health for so many reasons including suppressing our immune system, and contributing to anxiety and depression. 

Breathwork is simple and easy to learn and can yield profound results. 

So keep reading to learn all about the power of breath and 7 breathing exercises to transform stress to serenity.

The Science Behind Breathing and Calmness

You’ve probably heard of your stress response described as fight or flight. This means that your body sees any potential threat as something to fight or run away from. In response, it pumps certain hormones into your body to give it more energy, and in exchange slows down non-essential functions like your immune system. This is called your sympathetic nervous system.

The opposite of this state is called the parasympathetic nervous system, or “rest and digest.”  It acts like a brake to calm down the body after danger has passed. In this state, your heart rate decreases and your body relaxes. 

If you want to learn more about this, check out Harvard’s “Understanding The Stress Response” article.

Breathing exercises help you switch on your parasympathetic or “rest and digest” state by reducing cortisol levels in the body. Deep breathing helps to slow the heart rate and deliver more oxygen to the brain and body. 

So who knew just a couple of deep breaths could do some much work? 

Preparing for Your Breathing Exercises

The best thing about these breathing techniques is that you can use them anywhere, anytime. Once you’ve mastered one of two exercises, they will be at your disposal whenever you need them.

However, in the beginning, there are a couple of things you can do to set yourself up for success. 

First and foremost, try to find a quiet and distraction free environment. It doesn’t have to be perfect but for a look for a spot that’s comfortable, relatively noise-free, and private. 

Secondly, you can experiment with different types of positions to learn what’s most comfortable for you. Try seated in a chair, seated cross legged, laying down, and even standing. Everyone is different so check in with yourself to find what’s best for you.

Next, if you’re able to, change into non-restrictive clothing. You don’t want to feel the pinch of a tight waist band if you don’t need to. 

Lastly, you might want to try out some different warm-ups such as shaking out tension or setting an intention at the start. 

7 Breathing Exercises for Stress

1. Belly Breathing (also called Diaphragmatic Breathing)

You’re probably already familiar with this breathing exercise, all it is is a technique to breathe deeply into one’s belly using your diaphragm. Your diaphragm plays a crucial role in breathing and we often under utilize it which can limit our range of breath and decrease the amount of oxygen delivered to our lungs. This is a great breath exercise for stress and can be used anywhere, anytime without a specific protocol. It’s also one of the great breathing exercises for kids because it’s super simple to understand and do.

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2. 4-7-8 Breathing

4-7-8 is often used as a breathing exercise for sleep but can also be used anytime for stress relief and relaxation. It was discovered by Dr. Weil, who incorporates the practice into his daily morning routine. The rhythmic pattern of breath is particularly calming for the nervous system and has even been referred to as a natural tranquilizer. If you’re interested in more breathing exercises for sleep check out this article by the sleep foundation.

How to do it: 

1. Close your eyes and exhale completely from your mouth.
2. Inhale through your nose for a count of four. 
3. Hold your breath for a count of 7.
4. Exhale completely through your mouth again, this time for a count of 8. Make a slight whooshing sound with your throat. 
5. Repeat the cycle for four breaths.

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3. Box Breathing (or Square Breathing)

Box breathing is a simple technique and is often one the first breathing exercises for beginners that we see recommended. Similar to 4-7-8 it consists of a cycle of breath where each element is counted out. This technique is popular among athletes and military professionals who use it to reduce symptoms of chronic stress and even PTSD. It’s proven to help concentration and performance. 

How to do it:  

1. Slowly exhale all of the air out of your lungs.
2. Inhale through your nose for a slow count of 4. 
3. At the top, hold your breath for another count of 4. 
4. Exhale slowly to a count of 4.
5. And finally, at the bottom, hold for another count of 4.
6. Repeat. You can gradually try upping your count to 5 or 6. 

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4. Alternate Nostril Breathing (also called Nadi Shodhana)

Nadi Shodhana is an ancient yoga technique used for balance. It’s believed to balance out the left and right hemispheres of the brain through alternating nostril breathing. It’s been shown to enhance cardiovascular function and respiratory endurance which makes it one of the most recommended breathing exercises for runners. 

How to do it: 

1. Rest your left hand on your lap and bring your right hand to your nose.
2. Using your right thumb, close off your right nostril.
3. Inhale slowly through your left nostril.
4. Now close your left nostril with your right ring finger, releasing your thumb. 
5. Exhale through your right nostril.
6. Continue the pattern for up to five minutes.

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5. Counting Breaths

This mindfulness based technique is one of the great breathing exercises for anxiety. It helps to bring your attention to the present moment and decreases your monkey mind, or how your mind wanders from through to though often in old anxious patterns. 

How to do it: 

1. Close your eyes and breathe normally.
2. Exhale and count “one” in your mind.
3. Continue to pattern counting each exhale.
4. You can count to ten and start over or work up to one hundred. 

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6. Guided Visualization Breathing

This method combines imagery and deep breathing making it one one of our favorite breathing exercises for relaxation. It’s a great way to take a short escape from the stresses of the world. In fact, visualization can lead to a 24% decrease in anxiety levels. It’s proven to boost your mood by activating the brain’s reward pathways. 

How to do it: 

1. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. 
2. Picture a serene place such as a forest, beach, or meadow (we like to imagine a cozy and safe bed!)
3. As you inhale, imagine the positive and calming energy of the place entering your body.
4. As you exhale, imagine any stress and tension melting away. 
5. With each breath, immerse yourself deeper.

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7. Lion’s Breath (or Simhasana Pranayama)

Lion’s Breath is a bold method originating from yoga. It can be used during moments of tension or after long periods of silence or concentration to relieve tension from the face and chest. Unlike the other breathing techniques, it’s accompanied by a roaring sound which acts as a vocal release. 

How to do it: 

1. Sit in a cross legged position with your palms pressed against your knees. 
2. Inhale deeply through your nose.
3. As you exhale, stick out your tongue and make a roaring sound.
4. Repeat and relax!

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Tips for Enhancing Your Breathing Exercises 

Now that you’ve gotten a lay of the land on breathing techniques and different forms of breathwork, we have a couple of tips to make your experience that much more effective and enjoyable. 

First, go back to the basics and make sure that you’ve found the right place and position for you. Continue trying out different variations to learn what suits you and your needs. 

Next, if you’re starting to get the hang of things, you can try incorporating background sounds such as white noise or nature soundscapes. We LOVE the Portal App, it’s an immersive spatial audio app with all kinds of beautiful soundscapes. 

Breathing exercises for stress are also complimented well by aromatherapy. Different scents like lavender are proven to induce relaxation. There are many ways to use aromatherapy from diffusers, to rollerballs, to nasal inhalers. 

How to Incorporate Breathing Techniques into Your Daily Routine 

Breathwork is easy but remembering to keep up a consistent routine is not. Although just 5 minutes of deep breathing can do wonders, you’ll really see the benefits if you make it a habit and a part of your day-to-day life. 

The easiest way to start forming a new habit, is to make it obvious. By that we mean, have a clear reminder that you can’t miss. Whether that’s a post-it on your bathroom mirror, an alarm on your phone, or a block scheduled on your calendar, keeping it top of mind is half the work.

Have you heard of habit stacking? It’s a great hack for incorporating new activities into existing routines. It’s simple, just combine a new habit with an existing one. For example, everytime you fo to make a coffee, take 5 deep breaths. Or after your lunch break everyday, spend 5 minutes doing breathing exercises. 

You can also try starting or ending the day with 5 minutes of breathwork. It will even get you 5 extra minutes in bed cozy under the covers. 

And regular practice can lead to improved sleep quality. 

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By now, you’re well aware of the transformative power for breathing exercises. 

We hope this article equipped you with everything you need to make regular breathing exersizes a part of your daily routine. 

These 7 breathing techniques for relaxation are just the start! 

Let us know in the comments which breathing exercise was your favorite? 

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Posted By: Victoria · In: mental health