Breathe: 4 Simple Techniques to Keep Stress at Bay


We take many actions that we don’t give much thought to everyday. An example: breathing! Yeah, taking a deep breath seems relatively mundane on the surface, but it’s pretty much essential to, you know, keep living.

Considering that breathing (along with brain, muscle and heart functions) is one of the most necessary auto-actions we do, it makes sense that breathing exercises and techniques can regulate stress, tension and anxiety.

Conscious Breathing

So, you just got 15 emails, your phone is ringing, and you have to pick up your little girl from daycare in 20 minutes. Stop your heartbeat from going all wacko by consciously connecting your breathing. Think: how do you breathe when you’re absolutely relaxed? Think of how you feel breath before you go to sleep, or when you wake up. Just slowly inhale, exhale, and go from there!

Deep Breathing Exercises

Similar to conscious breathing, deep breathing tells your brain when to calm the heck down. Breathing deeply helps decrease heart rate, slows your breath rate and helps lower heightened blood pressure.

Andrew Weil, M.D., suggests that breathing exercises are useful stress relievers because breath is easily controlled and regulated. One exercise he suggests to maintain stress: the 4-7-8 (or Relaxing Breath) Exercise. The practice is simple and can be done anywhere:


  • Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.
  • Hold your breath for a count of seven.




Other Deep Breathing Exercises

Exercises from NPR’s “Just Breathe: Body Has a Built-In Stress Reliever”

Deep Breathing Exercises to Relive Stress


Image: maechevretteart

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