From the Guidelines
The most effective breathing exercise for relaxation is conscious breathing, which involves focused attention on breathing to enhance relaxation, as supported by the highest quality study from 2023 1. To practice conscious breathing, sit or lie in a comfortable position, close your eyes, and focus your attention on your breath, feeling the sensation of the air entering and leaving your nostrils. Try to let go of any thoughts or distractions and simply focus on your breath. The benefits of conscious breathing include:
- Reducing anxiety and stress
- Lowering heart rate and blood pressure
- Improving sleep quality
- Increasing oxygenation of the body
- Enhancing overall sense of well-being Some key points to keep in mind when practicing conscious breathing include:
- Start with short sessions, such as 5-10 minutes, and gradually increase as you become more comfortable with the practice
- Try to practice at the same time each day, such as first thing in the morning or before bed
- Be patient and gentle with yourself, and don't get discouraged if your mind wanders - simply acknowledge the thought and gently bring your attention back to your breath
- Consider seeking guidance from a healthcare professional or a qualified meditation instructor to help you get started with conscious breathing. As noted in the study from 2023 1, conscious breathing has been shown to be an effective method for reducing anxiety and stress in adults with cancer, and can be adapted to suit individual needs and preferences.
From the Research
Breathing Exercises for Relaxation
The most effective breathing exercise for relaxation is a topic of interest in various studies.
- Diaphragmatic breathing is a technique that involves slow and full contraction of the diaphragm with expansion of the belly during inhalation, and slow and full contraction of the abdominal muscles with reduction of the belly during exhalation 2.
- This technique has been shown to be effective in reducing physiological and psychological stress in adults, with improvements in biomarkers such as respiratory rate and salivary cortisol levels, as well as systolic and diastolic blood pressure 3.
- Diaphragmatic breathing has also been found to be beneficial in children, with immediate effects on relaxation in situations where children reported higher levels of worries than usual 4.
- Additionally, diaphragmatic breathing and systematic relaxation have been shown to improve depression, anxiety, and stress levels, as well as glycemic control, in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus 5.
Types of Breathing Exercises
Different types of breathing exercises have been studied for their effectiveness in relaxation, including:
- Slow-paced diaphragmatic breathing, which has been found to have immediate effects on relaxation in children 4.
- Diaphragmatic breathing and systematic relaxation, which have been shown to improve depression, anxiety, and stress levels, as well as glycemic control, in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus 5.
- Breath-based meditation, which has been found to have a significant impact on common mental health conditions such as depression and generalized anxiety disorder, and can be used to optimize human performance and overall well-being 6.
Key Findings
Key findings from the studies include:
- Diaphragmatic breathing is an effective technique for reducing physiological and psychological stress in adults 3.
- Diaphragmatic breathing has immediate effects on relaxation in children, particularly in situations where they report higher levels of worries than usual 4.
- Diaphragmatic breathing and systematic relaxation can improve depression, anxiety, and stress levels, as well as glycemic control, in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus 5.
- Breath-based meditation can be used to optimize human performance and overall well-being, and has a significant impact on common mental health conditions such as depression and generalized anxiety disorder 6.