03 Jul 4 Easy Breathing Exercises That Are Scientifically Proven to Calm Anxiety, Fight Stress, and Help You Focus
The two most common forms of distress, that can detract from happiness, are depression and anxiety.
It’s common and at times normal to experience these forms of unhappiness, but it’s hard to feel happy at the same time.
The good news, however, is that you can boost your happiness by more effectively managing stress and anxiety and if this is something you’re keen to do, then read on …
via Inc.com by Minda Zetlin
60 seconds is all you’ll need.
What’s one simple thing you can do anytime, anywhere that is scientifically proven to reduce your stress level, improve your mood, and make it easier for you to concentrate? A breathing exercise. Scientists have shown that by slowing and controlling your breath, and in particular, making your exhalations longer than your inhalations, you can automatically slow your heartbeat. And doing a breathing exercise for 60 seconds is long enough to achieve these benefits.
Health.com recently put together a list of nine breathing techniques for reducing anxiety. I’ve tried most of them myself, among many others. Any of them should create a feeling of calm and clear your mind to help you tackle a workplace crisis or ace an important presentation. Here’s a closer look at the four that I find most effective.
1. Box Breathing
Box breathing is often taught and used in the U.S. military, probably because it’s one of the simplest breathing techniques to learn and remember, and it’s easy to do in almost any setting. To do box breathing, inhale for a count of four, hold your breath at the top of the inhale for a count of four, exhale for a count of four, and hold your breath at the bottom of the exhale for a count of four. Repeat for 30 to 60 seconds. As with all these exercises, you should only use box breathing briefly. For maximum effect, practice it once a day.
Like most of these techniques, box breathing works because it forces you to focus on your breathing, slow it down, and control it. Doing that will slow your heartbeat and increase your sense of calm. If you’re not sure about trying a breathing technique or you want something very easy to do, box breathing is a great place to start…
… keep reading the full & original article HERE