7 Best Yoga Breathing Exercises For Anxiety

Breathing seems to be a simple process of inhalation and exhalation, but it’s actually quite complicated. Various organs of your body are synergistically involved in the process. That’s why improper breathing can cause disturbances in the functioning of these organs.

It not only affects your physical wellbeing but also develops anxiety, fatigue, panic attacks, stress, and other emotional disorders. Hence, learning breathing techniques will help you to overcome these problems, which will be beneficial for you in several ways. Here are the best 7 yoga breathing exercises that will be helpful for you to tackle your anxiety and help you maintain good mental and physical health.

SEE ALSO: The Joy And Pain Of Self Study & Introspection

1) Lengthen your exhale time

When you practice deep breathing exercises and try different yoga poses your blood gets more oxygen which decreases the blood pressure and makes you calm and relaxed. But sometimes this technique is not beneficial, especially when you are having symptoms of anxiety and stress. It is because of the fact that inhaling is related to the sympathetic nervous system, but exhaling is associated with the parasympathetic nervous system. Exhaling deeper and longer will induce your body’s ability to make your brain calm rather than deep inhalation, which causes hyperventilation and make the situation worse.

2) Belly or abdominal breathing

Usually, when you are tensed or anxious, you do chest breathing unknowingly and take shallow and fast inhalations. It is the general response of your body towards your anxiety. To minimize the effects of anxiety and depression, you should do abdominal breathing or belly breathing. In this exercise, you have to breathe in such a way that your abdomen expands and feels as if it’s filling with air. You can (and should) practice this breathing exercise all the time. This exercise is very easy to perform and can benefit you in coming out of mental discomfort.

3) Breath focusing technique

In this technique, you have to focus and concentrate on your breathing process, which should be slow and steady. You can imagine yourself in an empty room. Then you have to scan your body and feel the air going down your windpipe. This technique is proven to calm your brain and improves your mental health by eliminating stressful thoughts. It also improves brain power and concentration ability which will definitely help you at some point in your daily life.

4) Equal breathing

This is one of the most effective breathing exercises followed by many people since the ancient period. Equal breathing is also one of the best healing exercises that you can practice for stress and anxiety. In this technique, you have to inhale and exhale the air simultaneously. Mentally count the time you take to inhale and exhale. At starting, you may face some difficulties, but with little practice, you can master it. While doing this exercise, you can feel the air passing through your lungs.

5) Resonant breathing

Resonant breathing is quite similar to the equal breathing technique. But the difference lies in the position in which you are doing it. In equal breathing, you can lie down or sit according to your convenience, but in this exercise, you have to lie down and breathe for an equal amount of time.

Don’t overfill your lungs with air as it will cause dizziness. This breathing exercise eliminates the effect of stress on your body and brain. It is not only beneficial for your emotional health but also aids you in the overall development of an individual.

6) Lion’s breath

This an ancient traditional breathing exercise for reducing stress and anxiety. In this technique, you have to sit with your legs crossed and hand open on both knees. Then you have to inhale air from your nose. While exhaling, you must keep your mouth open just like a lion. While doing all this, you have to focus on your third eye located in just the middle of your forehead. You can repeat this exercise 7 to 10 times as per your comfort. With some practice, you can feel the results within weeks and be able to recover faster from emotional disturbances.

7) Alternate nostril breathing

The alternate nostril technique is a breathing exercise done and prescribed by many yoga professionals for the holistic health of any individual. In this technique, you have to inhale and exhale the air on each side of the nose. While doing this, you can use your thumb or finger to close the other one.

Final words

There are different types of yoga breathing exercises; each of them provides effective results and benefits to mental health. If you are mentally disturbed or facing anxiety and depression, you can use any of these breathing exercises to eliminate them. With consistency and dedication, you will be able to alleviate stress and return to a healthy and emotionally stable life. These ancient exercises have many benefits beyond our knowledge which science is just now understanding!