Psychology Today: Can Five Deep Breaths Really Relieve Stress?

One-minute stress relief—too good to be true?

Unbelievably, there really are a few easy relaxation techniques that don’t require hard work or hours of commitment and practice. I’ve now found another quick-fix relaxation technique in “three-by-five breathing,” suggested by author Brad Stulberg in his book, The Practice of Groundedness. The technique is as simple as the name—take five deep breaths three times a day.

Why stress about stress?

The unpleasant sensations of being “stressed out”—tension, shallow breathing, anxious or worried thought patterns, clenched hands—are reason enough to stock up on stress-management tools. But there is an increasing body of research that also points to the damaging effects of low-grade, chronic stress on the mind and body.

Everyday stress can increase the risk of certain health conditions, such as asthma, heart attack, stroke, ulcers, and higher blood pressure.

For balance, I’d like to point out that some types of stress have a positive side. For example, nervousness can pump you up before a performance, giving you a boost of energy to meet the challenge.

But whether you are experiencing “good stress” or harmful stress, your brain still needs breaks from the low-level stress that can leave you mentally frazzled and physically worn out. The “relaxation response” can counter the stress response, according to decades of research by stress pioneers like Herbert Benson.

How:

Take one slow, deep breath. Repeat four more times. Continue as desired.

But to make it even more effective, try these tips:

1. Pause a little at the “top” of the inhale. Exhale. Pause slightly at the “bottom” of the exhale.

2. Check yourself to make sure you are breathing from your abdomen as well as from your lungs—“belly breathing” is more likely to trigger the relaxation response.

3. To help yourself slow down, count mentally from one to five for each inhale and do the same for each exhale.

4. Try "five-finger breathing." If like me, you might get distracted and forget what breath you are on, a great option is to let your fingers do the counting. One helpful method is "five-finger breathing," described here:

“Hold one hand in front of you, fingers spread. Now, slowly trace the outside of your hand with the index finger on your other hand, breathing in when you trace up a finger, and out when you trace down. Move up and down all five fingers. When you’ve traced your whole hand, reverse direction and do it again.”

When:

A few ideas:

1. Tie three-by-five breathing to established habits.

2. Teach yourself to use your emotional tension as a trigger to practice three-by-five breathing. Catch yourself getting tense, stop what you are doing, and use the technique.

3. Use a combination of 1 and 2.

Where:

Anywhere.

Read the full article here!

Reflection:

Do you do any breathing exercises that help you cope with stress? If so, how has it impacted you?

#Stress #Mindfulness #Breathing #Relaxation