7 Surprising Breathing Exercises to Instantly Reduce Stress
By: Michele Demarco
Tags: Stress, Anxiety, Health, Mental Health, Breathing

7 Surprising Breathing Exercises to Instantly Reduce Stress

Conscious breathing, cellular breathing, and other easy techniques to feel calmer

Photo: FatCamera/Getty Images

Air is vital to our survival. But when we find ourselves facing extraordinary levels of stress, as is today’s daily norm, it can be difficult to catch our breath.

Stress can feel suffocating. And eight months into this so-called new normal, individuals and communities are inevitably struggling to hold on to air. A recent poll by the American Psychological Association shows that more than a third of Americans (36%) say the pandemic is having a serious impact on their mental health. Nearly 60% say it is seriously affecting their day-to-day lives and negatively affecting their finances. And two-thirds fear that the confluence of related pandemic and social issues will have long-term consequences for the economy.

A review of the psychological effects of quarantine and studies on disaster mental health confirm these self-reports. Common symptoms include anxiety, depression, irritability, insomnia, fear, confusion, anger, frustration, boredom, and stigma — some of which often continue post-quarantine. Further studies show how unhealthy behaviors, such as excessive alcohol and substance abuse, risk-taking, and suicide tend to skyrocket following major traumatic events.

Struggling to hold onto air is something I understand well. I am a triple heart attack survivor thanks to a condition called spontaneous coronary arterial dissection (SCAD). SCAD is rare, generally speaking, but it happens to be the most common heart attack that women younger than 50 experience. My first two attacks occurred a week apart when I was 33 years old. After three days of gasping for breath, never imagining I was in the midst of a heart attack because I was otherwise healthy and had no risk factors or family history, I stumbled into the ER, where an EKG confirmed that I was in serious trouble.

No one knew why this was happening. And no one — not even some of the best physicians at Massachusetts General Hospital — knew what to do to help me survive. (I can still hear the words “We’re losing her!” bouncing off the operating room walls.) And even after I survived, no one could give me much advice about my future because at that time, there was scant medical literature available on SCAD.

When we’re nervous or hyper-focused, we hold our breath. When we’re overstimulated, it can be difficult to catch our breath. When we try to suppress tears or stifle strong emotions, our breath becomes weak or irregular.

I remember lying in an ICU bed after my second heart attack, recovering from having a number of stents inserted into my heart and feeling totally overwhelmed and stressed by my sudden new normal. “What can I do to help myself?” I asked bleakly when the cardiologist came in to check on me. “Don’t forget to breathe,” she said, smiling.

She wasn’t kidding.

Breathing is the most essential human function, and yet it is something we don’t often think about because it’s a reflex action; it happens automatically. But stress can disrupt this natural process. When we’re nervous or hyper-focused, we hold our breath. When we’re overstimulated, it can be difficult to catch our breath. When we try to suppress tears or stifle strong emotions, our breath becomes weak or irregular.

The science of breath

Breathing — particularly deep breathing or what is often called diaphragmatic breathing, abdominal breathing, or belly breathing — is a superhighway to the nervous system.

The nervous system (aka the autonomic nervous system) is an involuntary and reflexive, “behind-the-scenes” mechanism in our body that helps to keep us alive. Its job is to regulate how our internal organs — like the heart, stomach, and intestines — function. The nervous system has two major branches. One branch is the sympathetic nervous system, which mobilizes our body’s internal resources to take action if there is a threat. The second branch is the parasympathetic nervous system, often called the “rest and digest,” “feed and breed,” and “tend and befriend” system because it dampens sympathetic nervous system responses and keeps our body in a restorative and resting state. There is also a third branch called the enteric system that is confined to the gastrointestinal tract.

When we’re stressed, the sympathetic nervous system kicks into high gear. Our heart rate and blood pressure rise, our breathing quickens, our muscles tighten, and all nonessential functions, like digestion, become dormant. All these physiological tectonics have a significant effect on our cognition and behavior. For instance, it becomes harder to think clearly, communicate effectively, focus, reason well, and engage with others. It also becomes harder to breathe. This is because the diaphragm is not drawing air into the lungs as it otherwise would, which causes breathing to become shallow. As a result, various muscles in the neck and shoulders kick in to enable breath to flow. The problem is that this “chest breathing” can put the body into a cyclic state of stress because it is both the cause and result of the problem: Stress causes shallow breathing, and shallow breathing causes stress.

Common first-line coping strategies are often to talk ourselves out of this kind of state. “Stop stressing.” “Calm down.” “Think happy thoughts.” But this approach doesn’t necessarily work because our rational, higher-order cognitive functioning more or less shuts down when the sympathetic nervous system kicks into high gear. The key to regaining a sense of calm when we’re stressed is getting back in touch with our body by intentionally engaging our parasympathetic nervous system. And one of the most immediate ways to do this is with our breath.

Breathing exercises that reduce stress in real time

Deep or diaphragmatic breathing (aka eupnea in the scientific community) means that when you inhale, your belly expands or goes outward. When you exhale, your belly caves in. The more your belly expands and the more it caves in, the deeper you’re breathing — which is what you want. Here are a few breathing exercises to help you hold on to air when you’re feeling anxious or stressed.

Conscious breathing

Conscious breathing is helpful because it is quick and can be done anywhere. The key is to slow your breath from the typical 10–14 breaths per minute to five to seven breaths per minute. An easy way to do this is by inhaling for a count of five, holding the breath briefly, and exhaling for a count of 10. While it’s nice to lay down to enhance your sense of relaxation, this practice can be done in any position.

Cellular breathing

Cellular breathing helps you get grounded and stay present by focusing on the pure sensations of natural breath. It’s a subtle yet powerful way to calm yourself and become centered quickly.

Start by lying flat on the ground. Place your right hand over your heart and your left hand on your belly. Notice the places where your body is touching the surface beneath you. Start to notice the rhythm of your breath. Inhale and feel your lungs fill. Exhale and feel your lungs empty. Notice what happens in your body when you focus on your hands — the weight, the temperature, and sensations throughout your body and changes in breathing.

Next, focus on the hand on your belly. Feel it rise on the exhale and lower on the inhale. Keep doing this and notice what’s happening. Maybe the breath feels cool on the way in and warm on the way out or like your heart has space around it. Imagine a wave cresting and falling, bringing in fresh, clean air, restoring and replenishing the toxins that were being taken out when the wave falls. Feel how your whole body breathes as it gets oxygen. When you’re ready, bring your attention back to your surroundings.

Active and calming breathing

When we’re anxious or in a hyperarousal state, our diaphragm often gets stuck or tight, which limits breathing. Active breathing helps to open it while calming breathing stimulates the vagus nerve, working together to shift us from a hyperarousal stress state to one that is fluid and calm.

Active: Start by standing and focusing on your breath. Breathe in deeply, and as you exhale, make the sound “shhhh,” as if you’re telling someone to be quiet. (Make it loud.) Pay attention to how it feels in the area between your chest and stomach. Do this until your breath runs out. Then do it again for eight more breaths.

Calming: Take another deep breath in. Gently press your lips together and make the sound “mmmm” as you breathe out. You want to create the most vibration possible through your whole head from the sound. Now make the sound for as long as you can, and then breathe in again. Do this for eight breaths, paying attention to any vibration feeling in your head.

Stress causes shallow breathing, and shallow breathing causes stress.

Open your heart (especially good for anxiety)

One of the most common complaints about anxiety is that it feels like some great beast is stepping on your heart or squeezing it dry like a sponge. So, here’s what to do in order to keep your heart pumping gently and allow it to open in all ways.

Sit in a chair or on the floor — anywhere works. Bring your hands to your shoulders, elbows facing front. Inhale, as you expand wide across your chest. Open your elbows as far as they’ll go, and slowly lift your chin. Exhale as you pull your elbows into the front of your heart and tuck in your chin. Breathe deeply for a count of eight, focusing on your inhalation. Repeat until you feel a shift toward calm. Don’t worry if it doesn’t happen right away. Keep going — you will.

Set free the belly

Many people with stress experience belly issues, whether that’s a “nervous stomach” or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or a host of other problems. That’s no surprise given there is a connection between the gut and the nervous system. Belly-breathing (as mentioned above) is one way to help engage your calming parasympathetic nervous system. This practice is another good one. It’s best to try on a mat or soft surface, especially if you have sensitive knees.

To start, get into a “table position” on all fours, with your hands parallel to your shoulders and your knees parallel to your hips. Inhale and slowly lift your head and hips, lowering your belly towards the floor. As you exhale, lower your head and hips while you lift your spine. It’s basically cat-cow or an arc down followed by an arc up. Find your own timing with your breath. Repeat as long it feels good for your belly and spine.

Say “voo”

Developed by trauma researcher Dr. Peter Levine, “voo” is a quick and powerful technique that can help you to settle deep in your core. It combines deep breathing and vocalization to gently vibrate the body’s internal organs and muscles, which causes them to relax. “Voo” is especially good when something unexpectedly triggers an intense emotional response. It can also be especially stimulating for some people, so you may want to first give it a try when you’re feeling calm.

Start by taking a moment to notice your surroundings. Then turn your attention inside and bring your awareness to your breath. You can close your eyes if it feels good, but sometimes when you’re agitated, it’s better to keep them open with a low, fixed gaze.

As you breathe, slowly and evenly, think of the sound of a foghorn. Then, take a deep, full, easy breath, and on the exhale, imitate the foghorn by making the sustained sound “voooo,” directing the rumbling vibration to your gut. (It’s not necessary to make the sound loud; rather, keep the pitch as low as you can.) Once you run out of air, let the next breath come naturally, filling your belly and chest. Continue this cycle for two to four minutes or until you feel yourself shifting into calm.

Rib cage expansion

This technique is especially helpful for people who suffer from panic attacks or extreme fear or stress responses. It’s easy to do and can be done anywhere.

Place one finger from your right hand between your rib cage. Then place your left hand on top of your head. Breathe just deeply enough (a mid-size breath) that it expands your rib cage. This expansion causes the intercostal muscle (the muscle that connects your ribs together, stabilizes your upper body, and helps you to breathe) to stretch. As it does, a stretch receptor fires, which signals the parasympathetic nervous system to kick in and override the fear, bringing you back to a state of calm and safety.

Continue breathing that way until you feel a shift. As with the other practices, don’t worry if it doesn’t happen immediately. Stay with it. It will.