Before I begin sharing my favorite deep breathing (DB) exercises, I’d like to explain the “why” behind DB. I often encounter people that dismiss DB as beneficial to their health due to not understanding the science behind it.
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is responsible for involuntary actions in our body (ie. heart rate, breathing, organ functions, etc.). The ANS is divided into two systems called the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) (Brennan, 2021). The SNS is activated when we encounter stress or life threatening situations. You’ve probably heard of the “fight, flight or freeze” response; the SNS is the system responsible for this function. Alternatively, the PNS is active when we are calm. When you are resting, slower functions of your body dominate, such as digestion (Brennan, 2021).
When we feel anxious or are under stress our SNS is active and the PNS is subdued. Engaging in deliberate, slow breathing exercises flips these responses. DB subdues the SNS and encourages the body to return to a restful state (Brennan, 2021). Now that you know the “why” behind DB, I’ll share some of my favorite breathing exercises.
4-7-8
The 4-7-8 exercise is my go-to breathing exercise when I feel anxious. To do this exercise you must inhale through your nose for four, slow counts, hold the breath for seven counts and exhale through your mouth for eight counts. When you hold the breath, take a moment to appreciate the “stillness” that occurs in the body.
For those who are beginning this exercise or have respiratory concerns, it may be difficult to hold the breath for seven counts. The timing of the counts is not as important as inhaling slowly, holding for some period of time and fully exhaling the breath from the lungs (Brennan, 2021). Please don’t trigger feelings of discomfort for the sake of doing the exercise “correct”. As you begin practicing, engage in four cycles (one 4-7-8 count is a cycle) in one sitting and work your way up (Brennan, 2021).
Pro tip: I do most of my deep breathing as I drive. You don’t always have to be sitting on a chair in a quiet room, although you most certainly can!
Mindful Breathing
My second favorite exercise to engage in when I feel anxious or stressed is mindful breathing. I start by taking slow, deliberate deep breaths. Inhale through the nose and exhale slowly through the mouth, ensuring all the air is pushed from your lungs. As you engage in these deep breaths you will focus your attention to how the breath feels in the body. Notice if the breath feels short or long. Bring awareness to where the breath appears in your body (ie. stomach or chest). Notice and appreciate any areas of relaxation or pleasant sensations. If you notice areas of tension in the body, intentionally relax those areas and bring your attention back to the breath (Stop, Breathe & Think, n.d.).
Your mind will wander as you do this. That’s perfectly normal! Simply notice you got distracted and bring your attention back to the breath.
AA breathing
AA breathing builds upon the basics of deep breathing and includes self-talk. The A’s stand for “acknowledgement and affirmation”. On the inhalation you will focus on acknowledging and on the exhalation you focus on affirming. There is no need to pause in between inhalations and exhalations, unless this feels natural to you. Simply inhale and exhale slowly.
Acknowledgement includes noticing and naming feelings and difficult experiences. An acknowledgement could sound like, “I feel anxious right now” or “That person was really mean to me”.
An affirmation is an encouraging phrase you could tell yourself to calm your distressing experience. To continue with the examples above, affirmations would sound like, “I am safe in this moment” or “I can show myself kindness”. For religious individuals, affirmations could include portions of sacred texts that are encouraging.
AA breathing triggers activation of the PNS and is also compassionate towards your internal experience of distress, which is also soothing.
I would encourage you to try each exercise for a few days and see what you like. We are all different and there are many different ways to DB. Find what works for you and disregard what doesn’t.
Until next time, Whitney
Brennan, D. (2021). What is 4-7-8 Breathing? The Benefits of Mindful Breathing on Health and Wellness. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/balance/what-to-know-4-7-8-breathing
Stop, Breathe & Think. (n.d.). Mindful Breathing. https://www.stopbreathethink.com/mindful-breathing/