In a previous post, we looked at 5+ ways to use the breath to calm anxiety. Now I’m back with 5 more anxiety breathing exercises for you to try out! Why? Because breathing is such an effective tool for calming stress and anxiety. Also, because the more techniques we can learn and try, the better stocked out anxiety tool kit will be!
Before we dive into the breathing exercises, let’s refresh ourselves on why breathing is often at the top of the list of natural ways to help anxiety. Basically, our brain and nervous system are in constant communication. 20% of that communication goes from the brain to the nervous system. But a whopping 80 PERCENT of that communication goes from the nervous system to the brain.
#1 – Extend the Exhale
This is a breathing technique that I learned in a yoga class and I loved it immediately. It might be especially helpful for those who struggle with the 4-7-8 breath because they can’t inhale, hold and/or exhale for that long. This breath is a lot more flexible as we are not trying to control our in-breath or the hold between our inhales and exhales. Here’s how to do it:
- Breathe in naturally, for as long as feels right to you.
- Hold your breath for as long as feels natural and comfortable for you (this might be several seconds long or 0 seconds, up to you).
- When you feel ready, breathe out for a count of 4.
- Repeat this cycle for another breath or two, exhaling to a count of 4 each time.
- When you feel ready, breathe in and hold naturally again, then breathe out for a count of 5.
- Continue breathing in naturally and extending your exhale by one count every couple rounds of breath (i.e., exhale for 6 counts, 7 counts, 8 counts, etc etc). See if you can make your way up to a count of 10 with your exhale! (although that may be tricky, so whatever number you reach is perfect.)
#2 – Humming Breath
This is one of my personal favourite anxiety breathing exercises, although probably not one that you are going to use in public. All you have to do is inhale through your nose then hum while you exhale through your mouth. That’s it! If you want to jazz things up, try one of the following while you are exhaling:
- Chant the sound “Om”
- Make a vowel sound (A, E, I, O or U) – pick one or rotate through them all!
- Choose your favourite song to hum along to with each out breath
This breathing exercise is particularly effective because it stimulates our vagus nerve. This is our longest cranial nerve and it connects directly to the relaxation part of our nervous system. Many anxiety relaxation techniques target the vagus nerve for this reason. When we hum, we are causing our vocal chords to vibrate, which stimulates the vagus nerve and ultimately helps us to relax. Pair this with the benefits of slowing down our breathing and being mindful of our breath and you have a true anxiety calming powerhouse here.
#3: – Alternating Nostril Breath
This might seem like a silly breathing technique but it’s a great way to slow down and mindfully focus on our breath. At first it can feel a bit like trying to rub your belly and pat your head at the same time, but once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty simple!
- Lightly pinch your LEFT nostril shut.
- Breathe in through your RIGHT nostril.
- Unpinch your left nostril and lightly pinch your RIGHT nostril shut.
- Breathe out through your LEFT nostril.
- Keeping your right nostril shut, breathe in through your LEFT nostril.
- Unpinch your right nostril and lightly pinch your LEFT nostril shut.
- Breathe out through your right nostril.
- Go back to step 1 and repeat all the steps as many times as you would like.
#4 – Physiological Sigh
As far as anxiety breathing exercises go, this one is pretty cool as it’s something our body does automatically without us noticing it. It has something to do with inflating the alveoli (aka air sacs) in our lungs and getting rid of extra carbon dioxide, which helps to calm the body. (For a more in-depth explanation of how this works, check out this University of Wisconsin Madison article.) We can reap the same benefits by doing this breath intentionally! Here’s how:
- Breathe in as much as you can.
- When your lungs feel full, take a second small, quick inhale.
- Exhale long and slow through the mouth, making a sigh sound.
- Repeat a few times, until you are feeling calmer.
#5 – Starfish/Gratitude Breath
This can be a fun exercise for kids and adults alike! It’s a way to practise breathing and gratitude all in one, using your hands as guides. You are going to be doing one full breath per finger with this one, so 5 per hand. If 5 breaths doesn’t feel like enough, repeat this exercise with your other hand!
- Starting at the base of your pinky, slowly trace up to the top of your finger while breathing in.
- When you get to the tip, pause, hold your breath, and name something or someone that you are grateful for (in your mind, not out loud – that would be tough while holding your breath).
- Slowly trace down the other side of your pinky while exhaling.
- Repeat these steps with the rest of your fingers, finishing with your thumb.
Conclusion
There you have it, 5 additional anxiety breathing exercises to try out! As always, everyone’s anxiety tool kit is going to look very different. That is why I will always encourage you to try out a variety of tools and strategies, to find what truly works best for you. For these breathing exercises, I recommend giving each one a solid try (2 minutes each minimum), to really gage if they are helpful to you or not. When you’re done, let me know which one was your favourite in the comments below!
PS – looking for some more anxiety relaxation techniques to try out? Check out these posts:
