3 breathing exercises for relaxation and rest

Breathing Exercises to Relax

Simple, slow breathing exercises generally create relaxation, calm and inner balance. You can do these 3 exercises if you suffer from stress and want to relax.

Are you doing breathing exercises for the first time? Then start with one minute. If you practice regularly, you will find that it becomes easier and easier. You can later build up to, say, 10 minutes. It may also happen that during an exercise you experience an uncomfortable feeling or become lightheaded. In that case, take a short break and take a few quiet breaths at your own pace.

1. Extend your exhalation

By exhaling longer than breathing in, you bring your body into a state of relaxation.

How it works

1. Inhale 4 counts through your nose
2. Exhale 8 counts
3. Try doing this for a few minutes

2. Box Breathing

The box breathing method is used to relieve stress, which makes you feel calm. You breathe in four steps (along the edges of a box, as it were) during this exercise.

How it works

1. Breathe in through your nose for 4 counts
2. Hold your breath 4 counts
3. Exhale 4 counts
4. Hold for another 4 counts
5. Try doing this for a few minutes

3. Nadi Shodhana breathing

The Nadi Shodhana breathing (alternating nostril breathing) is a breathing technique that calms your nervous system and balances your body and mind.

How it works

1. Take a few quiet breaths
2. Relax your left hand and bring your right hand in front of your face
3. Rest the index and middle fingers of your right hand between your eyebrows (in this exercise, you use only your thumb and ring finger)
4. Close your right nostril with the thumb of your right hand. Inhale slowly through your left nostril
5. Close your left nostril with your ring finger (both nostrils are now closed) and hold your breath for a moment
6. Open your right nostril and exhale slowly. Pause shortly after exhaling
7. Inhale slowly through the right side
8. Keep both nostrils closed (with ring finger and thumb)
9. Open your left nostril and exhale through the left side. Take another pause after the exhale
10. Repeat steps 5-9 about 10 times to relax completely

Incorrect breathing makes you feel rushed

Breathing is something we do all our lives, but often without conscious thought. Conscious breathing has enormous health benefits: it strengthens your immune system, improves your focus and provides relaxation. Conscious breathing is light, rhythmic abdominal breathing, breathing through your nose and not raising your shoulders.

Yet many people breathe in the "wrong" way. Fast, shallow and often through the mouth. This incorrect breathing activates your body's fight-or-flight response and causes your body to be on constant alert. If you breathe too quickly, you may become short of breath, suffer from tension in your body and feel constantly agitated.

Breathing through your nose

Fortunately, anyone can learn to breathe consciously. There are several types of breathing techniques you can use to become calm, but the most important one here is to breathe through your nose.

This is because breathing through your nose slows down your breathing. You can compare your lungs to two bags: to enlarge and reduce them, you need muscles. Your diaphragm (main breathing muscle) is linked to your nose. Breathing through your nose - as opposed to breathing through your mouth - stimulates your diaphragm, slows down your breathing, and therefore provides relaxation.

Furthermore, it is important to breathe slowly and deeply. Not too deep, but not too shallow either. Here's how to teach yourself good breathing.