It’s no secret that stress is having a massive impact on our physical, emotional, and mental health. But, did you know that when your stress levels go up the quality of your breathing goes down? Most of us don’t pay much attention to our breathing, but we should.

Studies have shown that when we’re feeling stressed we go into shallow breathing (or chest breathing), where we take in a minimal amount of air. Shallow breathing creates a stress response in the body that leads to increased feelings of anxiety and overwhelm. This creates a cyclical state of stress––our stress creates shallow breathing and shallow breathing creates more stress. This cycle is a pretty powerful emotional amplifier that we need to learn to disrupt––and we can through conscious awareness.

The problem is that most people who breathe shallowly do it throughout the day and they’re almost always unaware that they’re doing it. Shallow breathing becomes a habit, where the mind and body become conditioned to stay in a constant stress response. This causes them to feel a mild state of anxiety all the time.

Given that the world is filled with plenty of external stressors, it’s important to be mindful of your emotions and how you’re breathing so you can stop any internal cycles that are making matters worse. Check-in periodically to see how your thinking, feeling, and breathing. If you become aware that you’re feeling anxious, notice your breathing. We all have our own unique patterns of how we breathe under stress––some people find they stop breathing altogether.

The good news is that breathing techniques are an extremely effective way to manage heightened emotions and stress. By consciously taking several deep breaths, you direct your nervous system to go into a calm state. And when you intentionally develop this habit, you train your body to instinctually take a deep breath when the first pangs of stress or anxiety appear.

Intentional Breathing Takes Practice

Most of us would benefit from pausing throughout the day and being more intentional in our breathing. It always a good idea to take a few deep belly breaths to clear the mind, calm emotions, and feel centered before jumping into a conversation or writing an email. My personal favorite breathing practice is quite simple and has been shown to elicit feelings of joy.

Here’s how it works––

Breathe slowly and deeply through your nose and exhale slowly and deeply through your nose.
Keep your breaths regular and balanced and relax your rib cage.
You’ll feel your body begin to relax after a few breaths and if you give yourself a few minutes you’ll feel much happier.

The nice thing about breathing methods is that you can use them in any situation—in a meeting, on a phone call, when you’re presenting—to shift your mind, body, and emotions in an instant.

Give it a try the next time you’re feeling stressed or caught up in the intensity of emotion that you’d like to move out of. (Or now, if you just want to feel more joy!) Seriously, try it right now. Intentionally take several deep breaths following the technique above and feel more positive emotions move through your body. There are many, many breathing techniques you can use to expand your daily practice and I encourage you to try a few to find what works best for you.

Remember, the key to managing and boosting your emotional states through breathwork is to practice a technique every day—not just when you’re in the grip of a powerful emotion you’d like to release. Try linking your breathing practice to something you do frequently throughout the day—like checking your phone, sending an email, responding to a text, or walking your dog––and you’ll soon be on your way to making it a habit that supports your ability to communicate more effectively. The more intentionally you practice the faster it will become second nature!

Happily,

Maryanne