An increased amount stress hormones can be very debilitating to one’s physical and emotional well being. When you are under a lot of stress, you will feel negative emotions such as irritability and moodiness. Stress can even have physical manifestations like headaches and stomach pains. Most of the time, stress is a result of over exerting your body either at home or at work, or both.

When you are stressed out, you will not only be in a foul mood for the whole day, but you will also be unable to sleep peacefully at night, which in turn, will make you even more irritable when you wake up.

To conquer stress, you have to first get out of this endless cycle. The easiest and fastest way to do this is to take a few deep breaths and try to calm your mind and body.

The Proper Way of Breathing Out Your Stress

As simple as it may seem, breathing exercises can actually get rid of stress. Begin by making yourself as comfortable as possible. Keep your shoulders steady and relaxed, and take long, deep breaths. You know you’re doing it right when you are pulling your stomach in when you inhale.

Being comfortable is really very important for these deep breathing exercises. You don’t want to be worrying about an aching back or an uncomfortable chair in the middle of your session. The most recommended positions for these breathing exercises are sitting cross-legged on the floor, lying on your back or stomach on a flat surface, or simply standing.

For most people, normal breathing is short and shallow, which doesn’t maximize the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in our bodies. Breathing exercises aim to make you take longer and deeper breaths and make you more conscious of the breathing process.

The ideal length of a breath in the exercises is about 5 seconds for inhaling and another 5 seconds for exhaling. The most important part, however, is not about counting the seconds but being completely relaxed as you breathe in and out. Make sure that your breath comes in through the nose, then out through the mouth.

It’s Like Meditating

When you do the breathing exercise, it is almost a kind of meditation. Try to clear your mind as much as possible. Of course, this is not going to be easy especially during the first time, but don’t worry about it. Just let go of your thoughts and focus on the breathing. In time, you will be able to block your thoughts more easily.

One of the most used techniques for breathing exercises is visualization. As you take deep breaths, imagine the stress gradually leaving your body. Visualize your muscles slowly relaxing and becoming completely free of stress. Begin your toes and work your way throughout the rest of your body until you have visualized all of the stress away.

The most effective techniques and positions for breathing exercises are quite different for each individual. For this reason, you should try several combinations to find out which one will work best for you. While all of the methods will actually work, it’s better to use the one that is most comfortable as this will give you the best results by allowing you to sleep more peacefully and even improving your outlook towards life.