Breathing exercises to combat stress and anxiety

We all suffer from stress and anxiety from time to time, whether it’s because we are facing a stressful period at work or in our personal life. Whilst sometimes there isn’t much we can do about the circumstances we’re facing, we do have control over how we react to these situations, simply by using the tools that are available to us, like for example, breathing. We forget how important breathing is for our inner balance and wellbeing and by simply doing some breathing exercises throughout the day, we’re able to reduce our cortisol levels and activate our parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) that is responsible for relaxing the body, decreasing heart rate, lowering blood pressure and respiratory rate and diverting blood supply all over the body.

Conceiçao Espada, the stress management expert at SHA Wellness Clinic, claims that reducing stress and anxiety levels can be as easy as practicing 7 breathing exercises throughout the day. By doing so, we feel more balanced, calm and positive.

The 7 breathing exercises Conceiçao claims can make a huge difference, consist of breathing deeply in and out 10 times, 7 times throughout the day. It’s important to breathe out longer than you breathe in, as this activates your PNS and provides a calming affect. If you want to boost relaxation, you can add a couple drops of lavender oil into your hands and breathe in the aroma, as it has a deeply soothing effect.

Whenever you’re feeling anxious or stressed, just take a moment to breathe, recharge and rebalance your body. It may seem hard at first, but this simple exercise can really improve your health and wellbeing.