Yoga Breathing for Anxiety Relief

To bring instant calm when you’re stressed, stop take a deep breath in. Exhale slowly and fully, consciously releasing tension into the ground.

You'll notice your heart rate begin to slow as you take control over your response to the situation. The physical effects of stress will fade quickly as your deep breathing brings anxiety relief.

We're all born knowing how to breathe properly. Watch a baby breathe -- their tummies rise and fall as they flood their bodies with oxygen. But daily stresses cause most people to abandon ‘belly breathing' for ‘chest breathing', using only the tops of the lungs.

Stress causes the diaphragm to contract, reducing lung space, allowing less air per breath. So you automatically take more shallow breaths, constricting blood vessels, causing more stress.

The brain is the first organ to suffer from this under-supply of oxygen, making you even more susceptible to the physical effects of stress.

Shallow breathing contributes to stress-related disorders such as migraines, high blood pressure and panic attacks. Deep yoga breathing helps these problems, PMS, asthma and insomnia.

Deep breathing brings anxiety relief and helps all cells, tissues and organs perform at peak levels.

Let’s practice deep breathing in classic yoga relaxation pose, Savasana. Lie down on a yoga mat or carpet with feet a foot apart. Reach fingers toward heals, then relax hands 6” from your body.

When fully relaxed, put a book on your stomach. Imagine your lungs are divided into thirds. Fill the lower part first, middle, then top, and exhale in reverse.

As you draw air deeply into the lower lungs through your nose, push your stomach out. Pull it in as you exhale, keeping inhales and exhales an equal duration. Practice for 15 minutes twice daily.

Another great breathing technique to relieve pain and anxiety is Alternate Nostril Breathing, a calming breath that strengthens the respiratory system, expels stale air and waste products, and balances right and left brain hemispheres.

To begin, bend your middle and index fingers into the palm of your right hand and extend thumb, pinkie and ring finger.

This completes round one. Repeat 10 rounds daily.

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