Breathing for Anxiety
When we are born into this world, one of the first things we do is breathe. It's as natural as, well, breathing. In fact, we practice breathing before we're even born. So what's the point in breathing for anxiety and how does that even help?Even though we all breathe, all of the time, we don't always breathe in a way that is helpful for us. In fact, when we're in an intensely dysregulated anxious state, we tend to take shallow breaths, which triggers the sympathetic nervous system and increases anxiety (find out more about Anxiety and Your Brain). Because we can't be anxious and relaxed at the same time, breathing can shift our brains and our bodies from the sympathetic nervous system and anxious state to parasympathetic nervous system.
But how do you know if your breathing for anxiety is helpful? Here are some techniques to try. The goal is to see what works well for you in a calm state so that you can access the tool when you're feeling more anxious.
Here are 4 Techniques for Breathing for Anxiety
1. Diaphragmatic Breathing:
Place one hand on your chest and one hand on your stomach. As you breathe in, notice whether your chest or your stomach rises. If your chest rises with the inhale, "shift the breath" to your belly, or diaphragm. Imagine that there is a balloon in your stomach that you're filling with air. Keep breathing and start to count the in-breath and the out-breath. Try to have the out-breath be slightly longer than the in-breath. For example, count to three as you breathe in and try to lengthen your out-breath to four.
2. Box Breathing:
This is also known as Tactical Breathing and is used by the military/Navy Seals in training to calm the body and re-engage the prefrontal cortex -- the thinking part of the brain.For Box Breathing, breathe in for four counts, hold your breath for four counts, breath out for four counts, then hold your breath for four counts until you start the box again.Box breathing also helps to slow our breathing down, but holding the breath is not always comfortable. If this is your experience, try Triangle Breathing, instead -- breathing in for four counts, holding the breath for four counts, then breathing out for four counts. The key is to find out what works best for you.
3. S.T.A.R:
S.T.A.R. stands for Stop (or Smile!), Take a Breath, And Relax. It's a fun way to practice breathing and muscle relaxation. As you take a breath in, stretch out your arms and tense your muscles. Then, breathe out and relax your muscles (like spaghetti noodles!). Repeat until you're smiling!
4. Balloon:
Ok, so this is totally a throw-back to my days of working with kids, but it's another fun way to breath (because anxiety makes us way too serious!). Put your hands on top of your head. Breathe in, and raise your arms, filling up your "balloon". As you breathe out, make the sound that a balloon makes when you fill it with air and then let it go. As you blow air out through your lips, you're also releasing muscle tension in your face and jaw. Win!
Which one of these techniques is your favorite for breathing for anxiety? Try each of them several times, tweaking them to fit your needs. When you're done, give Harper Therapy a call so that we can help you build more tools to help you with your anxiety.
