Breathe In, Stress Out: Mindful Breathing Exercises for You
Dr. Margaret Chesney from the University of California, San Francisco believes that: “most of us spend our lives without really being present in the moment. Mindfulness is valuable in a way that it is super-accessible and is proved to be helpful to so many people.” Mindfulness is simply about being thoroughly aware of what’s happening in your life currently—all that’s going on inside as well as happening around you. Therefore, I must say, it revolves around the idea that you are not supposed to live your life on “auto-pilot” mode. You experience, learn and create memories as life unfolds, without judgment or preconceived notions.
Mindfulness is a nature’s gift that every human being on earth has, you should simply focus on how to access it. Research also shows that this quality is believed to reduce stress levels and anxiety and makes you stronger, confident and wise.
Whenever faced with a situation, you don’t react but respond. Pausing for a few seconds and processing to figure out the best solution truly helps in solving a problem.
Mindfulness shifts your mind from “doing” mode to “being” mode, which is associated with calmness and staying relaxed. Whereas, your “doing” mode of mind is always involved in action and stress response.
Staying mindful helps become more aware and sensitive to our body needs, which involves noticing pains earlier and taking appropriate action timely. Also, being more emotionally intelligent ensures better understanding of other’s emotions and circumstances they are going through, therefore leading to lesser conflicts. Mindfulness basically reduces activity in a specific part of our brain called “amygdala”, which is central to switching on our stress response so consequently, our background level of stress is reduced.
So, let’s explore mindful breathing exercises!
Mindful Breathing and its Benefits
It is a form of meditation that requires paying careful attention to the sensation of your breath without trying to alter it. This mindfulness technique offers a wide variety of benefits for the physical and mental well-being both, including reduced body pain hence less reliance on medication, higher levels of sympathy and compassion, release of positive hormones in the body, improved cognitive function and attention span, and last but not the least, reduced stress levels. This technique has also proved to enhance quality of work at workplace, improved sleep and eating habits. So now you know, whenever you’re feeling stressed, drained, or wanting to take a break from the hustles of your daily life, go ahead with mindful breathing and experience the magic with your mental and physical wellness.
Physiological Effects of Mindful Breathing on the Body and Brain
A recent study from the Journal of Neurophysiology revealed that several regions of our brain linked to body awareness, attention and emotion are activated when we pay attention to our breath. Paced breathing relates to consciously inhaling and exhaling as per a set rhythm such as, you might inhale for three counts, exhale for five, and repeat. Research suggests that such breathing exercises focus attention and normalize the nervous system.
The current study identifies a strong link between intentional (or paced) breathing and activation in the insula (a section of the cortex that plays a major role in motor aspects of speech-Ackermann and Riecker, 2004). This controls the autonomic nervous system and is highly related to body responsiveness. Also, paying particular attention to your breath increases awareness of your bodily states—a crucial skill learned during practicing yoga and meditation. Researchers concluded that when we accurately track our breath, the insula and anterior cingulate cortex, another section of the brain related to moment-to-moment awareness, are activated.
Mindful Breathing Techniques
Diaphragmatic Breathing
Also known as belly breathing, this is a type of mindful breathing exercise which supports the strengthening of your diaphragm, a muscle responsible for 80% of your breathing.
When the diaphragm is performing its role well, the process of ventilation is efficient and the amount of oxygen consumed is low during relaxed breathing. When a person heavily relies on the accessory muscles of inspiration, the oxygen consumption increases and the productivity of ventilation lowers.
Controlled breathing exercises are designed to enhance the productivity of ventilation, decrease the work of breathing, improve the excursion of diaphragm, enhance exchange of gases and oxygenation. It also generates intra-abdominal pressure for posture control, leading to lower respiration.
To practice Diaphragmatic Breathing:
- Sit straight or lie down on a flat and comfortable surface. Close your eyes and relax.
- Place your right hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen, just below the rib cage. The bottom hand (left hand) should move while doing the exercise, while the top one should remain still.
- Inhale through your nose for about 4 to 5 seconds, realizing that your abdomen expands while doing this. (Some people feel slight force of tension the first few times but that’s okay!)
- Hold your breath for 2 to 3 seconds.
- Exhale slowly and steadily through your mouth for about 5 to 6 seconds. The mouth should feel relaxed.
- Keep repeating for the next 10 to 12 minutes.
Box Breathing Technique
Also referred as square breathing, this is a deep breathing exercise that helps slow down your breathing. It distracts your mind as you count up to five, comforting your nervous system and decreasing your body’s stress levels. This powerful relaxation technique supports in returning your breathing pattern to a relaxed rhythm, clear your mind and improve focus.
To practice box breathing, you should:
- Sit straight with the back supported by a comfortable chair and feet laid flat on the floor
- Close your eyes.
- Breathe in through the nose while counting to five. Slowly, feel the air enter into the lungs as you breath in.
- Hold your breath while counting slowly to five; try not to clamp your mouth or nose shut.
- Slowly exhale for 5 seconds.
- Then wait for 5 seconds.
- Repeat the steps 1 to 4 at least three times or until calm returns.
4-7-8 Breathing Technique
This technique involves breathing in for 4 seconds, holding the breath in for 7 seconds, and exhaling out for 8 seconds.
This aims to reduce depression and anxiety and improve sleep. It is a form of pranayama, which practices breath regulation.
Body Scan Breathing
Along with disturbing your mental and emotional state, stress also brings physical symptoms such as headaches, back pain, and chest burn. Sometimes we are so much into a stressful situation that, we never realize our physical discomfort and emotional distress are interrelated. Here, body-scan meditation is particularly useful, allowing us to check our bodies from head to toe.
Practicing body-scan meditation is simple. Sit straight on a comfortable chair, breathe deep through the nose, and exhale out through the mouth after counting to four. Close your eyes while exhaling. Notice how the body feels. Starting from the top of your head, carefully scan through the body downwards, noting what feels comfortable and what uncomfortable. This way, you are just noticing each part of your body as you scan downwards, all the way from head to toes.
How to Integrate Mindful Breathing Exercises into Your Daily Routine
Step 1: After you wake up and freshen, spare a few minutes to focus on your breath with full attention. Shut your eyes, breathe slow and deep, and closely notice the rise and fall of your chest. This helps create an open mind for a productive day ahead.
Step 2: From breakfast, to lunch and dinner, eat without distractions like scrolling on your phones or watching a Netflix movie. Stay in the present. Pay close attention to the sensations of each bite that goes into your mouth. Eating mindfully savors your food and fosters a healthier relationship with it.
Step 3: Throughout the day, pause for a few minutes during your busy routine to check in with yourself. Close your eyes, breathe deep, and see if you feel any tension or stress. This breathing technique for 4 to 5 minutes helps refresh your mind and approach tasks with better focus.
Step 4: Determinedly engage your senses in the environment you’re experiencing. Note the colors, patterns, sounds and scents of your surroundings. This practice helps to ground you in the present.
Step 5: Take a moment each day to be grateful for all that you have been blessed with. You can make brief notes in your diary or notes app. It could be anything from big to small, whether a person in your life, a personal achievement or a kind gesture. Cultivating gratitude ensures a positive outlook on life.
Step 6: During your everyday walk, pay complete attention to the sensations of the movement of your feet—the pace of your steps, the feeling of the ground beneath your feet. This routine activity can be easily turned into a meditative experience this way, bringing along a number of benefits.
Step 7: Reduce multitasking. Focus on the task-in-hand, rather than dividing your attention towards two to three tasks at a time. This ensures you live in the moment and experience completely whatever you are doing.
Step 8: Avoid unnecessary scrolling on your phone or constantly checking notifications whenever your phone beeps. Setting your phone to ‘do not disturb’ for a few minutes or setting specific times for checking updates helps improve mindfulness. Creating digital-free zones at your home can significantly help you stay focused in the moment and cherish every bit of your life and be grateful.
Step 9: When talking to somebody, listen carefully to the person and understand what they are saying. Refrain from formulating responses in your mind or processing thoughts or creating responses. This can lead to deeper, stronger and more meaningful connections.
Step 10: Before going to bed, un-wind your routine of the day and take a few moments to reflect on what you have learnt, your good and bad experiences and how can they help you in future. Acknowledge your accomplishments. Keep in mind, tomorrow is a new day and you should prove yourself to be better.
As we conclude, let’s remind each other that mindful breathing offers a wide variety of benefits for the body and mind, serving as a powerful tool for the overall well-being. These mindful breathing exercises help individuals gain relaxation, improve focus and achieve better emotional intelligence. Incorporating these into your daily life leads to a profound sense of inner calm amidst everyday life challenges.
Whether its through diaphragmatic breathing, box breathing or body scan meditation, there are numerous techniques to explore what works best for you! I encourage you to practice these techniques, starting from a few minutes to increased duration as you become more comfortable. With consistent practice, you will note significant improvement in your stress-handling ability and experience overall well-being.
So, live the moment, enjoy the festivity and learn from your mistakes. Here’s to a happier, healthier and more mindful, you!
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