Deep Breathing: How to Do it Properly

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A few weeks ago I was hanging out with my preschooler son watching “Blue’s Clues” on television. The whole episode centered on how to handle frustration. Throughout the show several characters learned and repeated the mantra, "Stop, breathe and think.” Later that same day I was feeling stressed out about something and those four words came to mind. I figured “What the heck? It worked for Blue and Steve!” I gave it a try and I felt a whole lot better, really really quickly.

Of the three things the “Blue’s Clues” characters and I were doing, I personally believe that taking a deep breath helped the most. In researching this topic even further, it turns out that this is correct. Studies have shown what many of us have known for years, deep breathing techniques can be extremely helpful in handling anxiety, depression and stress-related health conditions.

Before getting into the health benefits of deep breathing even more, let’s back up a bit and talk about the mechanics of breathing. You might be thinking “I breathe all day. I already know how to breathe just fine!” The next time you are feeling angry, stressed, too busy, overwhelmed, anxious, sad, or depressed, take a minute to notice how you are breathing. Most of us will tend to take shallow and fast breaths. Shallow breathing does not tend to bring a lot of oxygen into our bodies, and fast breathing has been linked to high blood pressure. So just because you know how to breathe doesn’t mean you know how to do it correctly.

Deep breathing is slower, and it involves using your diaphragm while breathing in deep breaths of air. Done correctly, your tummy will expand and not your chest.

Learning to breathe deeply is like a lot of other exercises. It takes a few practice sessions to figure out how to do it correctly but then once you get it down it will seem like second nature to you. Unlike exercises such as jumping jacks that you can’t exactly start doing in public whenever you want, deep breathing can be done anytime and anywhere.

The first few times you try deep breathing, find a quiet and comfy spot in the house so you can really focus on what you are doing. Sit down and breathe out slowly so you can empty your lungs of air. When you feel like you can’t exhale anymore, count to two, and then inhale through your nose while counting to five in your head. Try to make your stomach expand as you breathe in. Hold for two seconds and then exhale for five seconds. If you have the time, repeat this at least five times. Do you feel better already? I thought you might. It’s amazing what proper breathing can do to your outlook on things.

In the second part of this article, we’ll look at why and how deep breathing can help reduce our levels of stress and anxiety.

References:

www.healthmad.com/health/health-benefits-of-deep-breathing/

www.womentowomen.com/fatigueandstress/deepbreathing.aspx

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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.