COMMUNICATION, BEHAVIOUR & ART

Slow Breathe to combat Stress and Anxiety

Take time-out to boost your wellbeing with two minutes of slow breathing

Benefits of Slow Breathing

  • Reduces stress and anxiety and resets the calm state, which, in turn, helps you focus and boosts cognition.

  • Boosts oxygen levels, mood and positive emotion.

  • Lowers heart rate, blood pressure, depressive symptoms, pain and muscle tension.

 

Slow Breathing Exercise

Use the time that you have, if it’s only two minutes, take two minutes.

The videos last for ten minutes–if you have ten, breathe for ten, then float back into your life feeling more relaxed and with better focus.

How to Breathe Properly

  • Breathe in through your nose. In this exercise breathe out slowly through pursed lips.

  • Straighten your posture and get comfortable.

  • Feel your abdomen rise as you breathe in, and lower as you breathe out.

 

Congratulations, you just slowed your breath to six breaths per minute!

Average breathing Rates

Adults breathe an average of twelve to eighteen breaths per minute. Under stress, that can increase from around twenty to forty-five breaths per minute.

Six breaths per minute breathing rate brings all the benefits of slow breathing, but breathing slower at five and four breaths per minute gets you there quicker. If you had no issues keeping up with breathing at six breaths per minute, try five or four breaths per minute by clicking here.

Never go less than four breaths per minute as it has the reverse effect.

Body language and Anxiety

If you’re interested in learning more about body language and anxiety, you can read more about it here.