5 ways to relax your mind with deep breathing
What's the story
One of the simplest and most effective ways to calm your mind and relieve stress is to practice deep breathing.
By focusing on your breath, you can increase mental clarity and promote relaxation.
The best part is, you can do this exercise anywhere, making it a versatile tool for coping with anxiety and improving your overall well-being.
Here are five ways you can do it!
Belly breathing
Practice diaphragmatic breathing
Diaphragmatic breathing, also referred to as belly breathing, means inhaling deeply through the nose so that the diaphragm expands as opposed to the chest.
This technique increases the intake of oxygen and promotes relaxation by triggering the body's natural relaxation response.
Practicing this technique for just five minutes a day can cut down stress levels significantly and improve focus.
Box method
Use box breathing technique
Box breathing is a structured technique that involves inhaling, holding the breath, exhaling, and pausing in equal four-second counts.
This ensures that you regulate your breath pattern and calm your nervous system.
It comes especially handy in high-stress situations when you need to think clearly and act quickly.
Nadi Shodhana
Try alternate nostril breathing
Alternate nostril breathing is an age-old practice that balances energy flow throughout the body by alternating breaths between nostrils.
This technique improves concentration and calms anxiety by harmonizing both hemispheres of the brain.
Doing this for three to five minutes every day can make you more emotionally stable.
Relaxation breath
Engage in 4-7-8 breathing exercise
The 4-7-8 breathing exercise has you inhale for four seconds, hold for seven seconds, and exhale slowly for eight seconds.
This pattern slows down the heart rate and puts you in a deep state of relaxation.
Practicing it regularly before bedtime can improve the quality of your sleep by calming an overactive mind.
Guided sessions
Incorporate guided deep breathing sessions
Guided deep breathing sessions are the ones where you follow audio/video instructions that guide you through different techniques at various paces.
These sessions are structured and can be helpful for those who are new to deep breathing practices or want to deepen their experience.
They are available easily online, free of cost or at the least minimal charges.