Our breathing changes when we’re feeling stressed or anxious, we tend to take short and shallow breaths, often referred to as chest breathing. For a number of us, we spend all day only chest breathing. Diaphragmatic breathing or ‘belly breathing’ is important to practice, as it allows for a full exchange of oxygen in the lungs, and can help to stabilise blood pressure and slow heart rate, our bodies sense this breathing as a state of relaxation.
How to:
Step 1. Take a slow breath in through the nose, breathing into your lower belly for about 4 seconds
Step 2. Hold that breath for 1–2 seconds
Step 3. Exhale slowly through the mouth for about 4 seconds
Step 4. Pause for 1–2 seconds before taking another breath
