The quickest way to find peace in a busy world is through your own breathing. Breathing works to still your mind by hacking your body-brain systems.
When you feel relaxed, your breathing slows down. But it can also work the other way. You can exercise control by starting with slow breathing: slow or concentrated breathing brings about whole-body relaxation.[i]
There has been a flood of recent studies supporting the use of breathing to relax and calm the mind.[ii] The benefits of learning breathing techniques are amazing: they increase your awareness, promote a feeling of calmness, and can even help with blood pressure.
There are many breathing techniques to try, but the easiest is called 2-1-4:
- Find a place where you can be alone and comfortable.
- Close your eyes and feel your body relaxing.
- Inhale for two seconds.
- Hold your breath for one second.
- Exhale for four seconds.
Pay particular attention to the out breath. Repeat this pattern for 5–10 minutes.
Another popular technique is called the alternate nostril breathing technique (Those who do yoga may know this as Nadi Shodana Pranayama).
Because it’s intended to relax the whole body while calming the mind, this technique can be effective when you are feeling nervous. You might want to use this technique right before a stressful situation (like a job interview or a high-pressure meeting).
Here’s how to do it:
- Find a place where you can be alone and comfortable.
- The idea is to alternate breathing through one nostril at a time, by pressing with either your thumb or ring finger to close first one and then the other nostril.
- To do this, you place your right-hand pointer and middle fingers between your eyebrows. This positions your thumb and ring finger on either side of your nose.
- Use your thumb to close your right nostril; then inhale and exhale through your left nostril.
- Use your ring finger to close your left nostril; then inhale and exhale through your right nostril.
Repeat this pattern for 5–10 minutes, or until you feel relaxed.
Of course, breathing techniques can be helpful when you are in a stressful situation, but they work much better when you practice them regularly. After all, practice makes perfect!
[i] Feldman G, Greeson J, Senville J. Differential effects of mindful breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and loving-kindness meditation on decentering and negative reactions to repetitive thoughts. Behaviour research and therapy. 2010 Oct 31;48(10):1002-11.[ii] Jerath R, Crawford MW, Barnes VA, Harden K. Self-regulation of breathing as a primary treatment for anxiety. Applied psychophysiology and biofeedback. 2015 Jun 1;40(2):107-15.
