Deep Breathing helps with stress, Square Breathing helps with Panic

Breathing to Battle Anxiety

Using breathing techniques can be a great tool to battle the everyday anxieties of life.  Deep breathing can be utilized to relax your body and calm your thoughts on a daily basis.  Deep breathing is simply taking long slow breaths which focus on expanding your stomach rather than your chest.  While learning this technique, place one hand on your stomach and one hand on your chest to ensure that your breathing is expanding your stomach, not your chest.  Take a deep breath in, hold for a few seconds, and slowly release.  Repeat the process and try to focus on your breathing and your physical body, letting your thoughts and anxiety slip away.

  There are times when your mind may be so overwhelmed, deep breathing may feel impossible to accomplish.  Deep breathing may also not provide relief if your brain and emotions are highly active.  In this instance, or in instances of situational anxiety, square breathing can be an amazing asset.  To square breathe, you will breathe in for five seconds, hold for five seconds, exhale for five seconds, and hold for five seconds.  Repeat this process realizing that you are in control of your body, focus your attention on continuing the pattern until you feel your body and mind calming.  Square breathing can also be used on a daily basis.  Please see the diagram below for a visual representation of square breathing.  Note that the interval can be whatever is comfortable for you as long as it is equal on all sides of the square (i.e. 3 seconds or 6 seconds).  

An important aspect to help breathing techniques be successful is refocusing thoughts.  During and after your breathing exercise try to focus your thoughts on the present, getting rid of negative thoughts, and relaxing your body and mind.  

Breathing exercises may improve your anxiety significantly.  Try incorporating them into your daily routine and the next time you’re struck by an anxiety attack or overwhelming stress use the square breathing exercise to reign in your focus and calm your body.

Written by:  Amanda Furca, Graduate Level Intern, Loring Therapy, LLC

loringtherapy.com

Adapted from the Psychology Today Blog:  

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/making-change/201305/stop-your-anxiety-now

Making Change, Stop Anxiety Now! By Leslie Becker-Phelps, Ph.D.

Published May 20, 2013