A Simple, 5-Minute Breathing Technique Is a Powerful Tool to Reduce Anxiety

[Warpy]

Each day in the current experiment, participants reported on their mood and vital signs including heart rate, breathing rate, and sleep. Those who spent five minutes working on their breath each day showed the most stress relief at the end of the month, with day-on-day improvements in their mental and physiological health.

What's more, the current study tested three different breathing techniques, and one of them seemed to perform the best.

Participants who were asked to practice cyclic sighing – when exhalations are pronounced and prolonged – showed greater improvements than those who were asked to practice box breathing – when inhalation, a pause, and exhalation all match in duration – or cyclic hyperventilation – when inhalations are longer and exhalations are shorter.

https://www.sciencealert.com/a-simple-5-minute-breathing-technique-is-a-powerful-tool-to-reduce-anxiety

I taught my patients Yoga breathing to cope with painful procedures like deep dressing changes that were nasty even with morphine on board. They did report it seemed to help, and I caught more than a few practicing it between the dressing changes.

I wish they'd teach it to cops, we might have fewer problems with jacked-up cops misbehaving and killing us.

[vanlassie]

1. It is very useful during childbirth as well.

[lark]

2. I learned the yoga breathing when I was 18, and man does it help.

I've used it a lot over the years, but have fallen out of the habit of doing this lately. I really appreciate the reminder and will stop and do this soon as I finish typing!

Thanks!

[cilla4progress]

3. Yes, my recollection of childbirth preparation centered on this kind of breathing.

I use it when I am about to check my BP! Always seems to help.

Used to help with sleeping but since 2016, it's been a struggle!