I have this sad, vivid memory of myself in college, sitting on my dorm room bed while a friend tried to help me calm down by giving me a paper bag to breathe into. I remember feeling so embarrassed and like I had hit some all-time low by displaying my anxiety in this obvious way. This is one reason I love to share my own breathing techniques for anxiety.
I often look back on my life at the things I’ve done that felt hard, wishing I had known about breathing slowly as a regular, daily practice. The easiest and best breathing techniques for anxiety I have found revolve around simply breathing slowly. Before yoga, the only times I can remember being told to breathe slowly were when I was upset. Using this breath technique daily, both on and off the mat, of simply slowing down my breath has helped me prevent, reduce and relieve anxiety.
BREATHING TECHNIQUES
When you notice yourself letting out a long, loud sigh, I believe that’s your anxious body trying to tell you that you need breath. If we aren’t getting enough oxygen to our brains, our minds go into survival mode and send us to the worst-case scenario. If we can make breathing a slow, conscious practice, our minds will let go of some of that fear.
Take cleansing breaths when you feel tension and anxiety creeping in. Take a long, deep breath in through your nose, then release it fully and forcefully out through your mouth. Think of the cleansing breath as the refresh button on your mind and body. It starts you over. And after you take one, remind yourself to breathe in and out through your nose more slowly. Slower takes longer. Ancient yogis believed that each person was born with a certain number of breaths, so the slower you breathe, the longer you live. What I believe is that breathing slower will help me increase my quality of life, however long I’m here.
CHANGE YOUR BREATH
Notice your breathing while you’re thinking, talking, and doing. Deliberately change to slower, longer breaths. If your thoughts, words or actions begin to shift, you may have discovered something that triggers your anxiety. Let that knowledge empower you to make a change.
Here are some breathing exercises combined with a gentle yoga practice.