6 simple breathing practices for stress relief

Simple, practical techniques that ANYONE can do in their day

Prolonged Exhalation

Prolonged exhalation has been shown to help with anxiety through vagal nerve activation. There doesn’t have to be a specific count, as long as the exhalation count is longer than the inhale count. One common and well-known example is the four, seven, eight breath – a variation of this is acceptable as it needs to be what’s comfortable. Over time, we can change the count as we get used to these breathing patterns. So that means breathing in for a count of four, holding the breath or retaining it for seven counts, and then exhaling over eight counts. Try this and see what works for you.

Left Nostril Breathing

In yoga philosophy, the left side is the lunar or cool side. When feeling stressed, anxious, angry, or heated, it can be helpful to do a few minutes of left nostril breathing. The right thumb is used to occlude the right nostril completely. The breathing takes place only through the left nostril at a normal pace.

Anapana

This is a Pali word from the Buddhist scriptures. Ana refers to inhale, and pana refers to exhale. This is a simple meditation that focuses on the sensation of the breath – observing the breath at the nostrils as the air comes in and out…