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Breathing exercises

When we feel anxious or worried, we often do not breathe properly. This changes the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in our bodies which can make us feel more anxious and tense. The exercises below have the opposite effect, causing the body to relax and feel less tense. This can help reduce anxiety and promote sleep. The exercises can be done standing up, sitting or lying down. Try some and see which one is best for you.

Breathing exercises

Relaxed breathing

This is sometimes called 4-7-8 breathing. Sit or lie comfortably.

  1. Put the tip your tongue on the roof of your mouth just behind your front teeth. Keep it there throughout the exercise.
  2. Breathe out through your mouth completely, making a whooshing noise.
  3. Close your mouth and breathe in gently through your nose, mentally counting to four.
  4. Hold your breath and count to seven.
  5. Breathe out through your mouth making another whooshing noise while you count to eight.
  6. Repeat the exercise for several minutes.

Abdominal breathing

This exercise focuses on the diaphragm, the muscle between the chest and the abdomen.

  1. Breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose. You should feel your belly expanding with your chest rising only a very little.
  2. Breathe out slowly through your mouth. As you exhale, purse your lips slightly and make a soft whooshing noise.
  3. Repeat these two steps for several minutes.

Mindful breathing

Mindful breathing involves focusing on controlling your breath.

  1. Choose a word or sound that is calming for you. Traditionally, this is the sound ‘OM’, but it can be any sound that is meaningful to you.
  2. As you breathe in and out, repeat the sound either out loud or silently to yourself.
  3. Relax your body and mind. If your mind wanders to something that could make you stressed, don’t worry about it. Let it drift by, take a deep breath and gently return to focus on your breathing.

Slow breathing

Be mindful that rapid, shallow breathing can make you more anxious. Make a conscious effort to simply slow your breathing down. The usual rate of breathing for people is between 10 and 20 breaths per minute.

Yogic breathing

  1. Sit in a chair or lie on your back with your back as straight as possible.
  2. Place your hands on the lower part of your belly.
  3. Focus on making your breaths expand your belly. Feel your belly expand with each breath.
  4. Move your hands up to either side of your breastbone and spread your fingers out.
  5. For a few breaths, expand your chest and feel the rise of your chest through your fingers. Be sure to keep your throat relaxed when you do this.
  6. Return your hand to your belly and focus on making your breaths expand your belly once more.
  7. Keep doing this for as much as you can, feeling how your body responds to each breath.

Resonant breathing

  1. Lie down on your back and close your eyes.
  2. Breathe gently in through your nose with your mouth closed and count to six.
  3. Breathe out gently through your mouth and count to six.
  4. Continue this exercise for as long as you can.

This is sometimes called 4-7-8 breathing. Sit or lie comfortably.

  1. Put the tip your tongue on the roof of your mouth just behind your front teeth. Keep it there throughout the exercise.
  2. Breathe out through your mouth completely, making a whooshing noise.
  3. Close your mouth and breathe in gently through your nose, mentally counting to four.
  4. Hold your breath and count to seven.
  5. Breathe out through your mouth making another whooshing noise while you count to eight.
  6. Repeat the exercise for several minutes.

This exercise focuses on the diaphragm, the muscle between the chest and the abdomen.

  1. Breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose. You should feel your belly expanding with your chest rising only a very little.
  2. Breathe out slowly through your mouth. As you exhale, purse your lips slightly and make a soft whooshing noise.
  3. Repeat these two steps for several minutes.

Mindful breathing involves focusing on controlling your breath.

  1. Choose a word or sound that is calming for you. Traditionally, this is the sound ‘OM’, but it can be any sound that is meaningful to you.
  2. As you breathe in and out, repeat the sound either out loud or silently to yourself.
  3. Relax your body and mind. If your mind wanders to something that could make you stressed, don’t worry about it. Let it drift by, take a deep breath and gently return to focus on your breathing.

Be mindful that rapid, shallow breathing can make you more anxious. Make a conscious effort to simply slow your breathing down. The usual rate of breathing for people is between 10 and 20 breaths per minute.

  1. Sit in a chair or lie on your back with your back as straight as possible.
  2. Place your hands on the lower part of your belly.
  3. Focus on making your breaths expand your belly. Feel your belly expand with each breath.
  4. Move your hands up to either side of your breastbone and spread your fingers out.
  5. For a few breaths, expand your chest and feel the rise of your chest through your fingers. Be sure to keep your throat relaxed when you do this.
  6. Return your hand to your belly and focus on making your breaths expand your belly once more.
  7. Keep doing this for as much as you can, feeling how your body responds to each breath.

  1. Lie down on your back and close your eyes.
  2. Breathe gently in through your nose with your mouth closed and count to six.
  3. Breathe out gently through your mouth and count to six.
  4. Continue this exercise for as long as you can.

If you would like to practice breathing exercises for relaxation they are often included as a component of mindfulness or yoga classes for people with cancer. Such classes can be found through our Cancer Care Map page or you could try one of the classes provided through Penny Brohn UK online services.