7 breathing exercises to reduce stress
Feeling stressed? Learn how focusing on your inhales and exhales can help.
You’re no stranger to stress — by this point you’ve dealt with decades of work, family, and general life issues. But even so, there can be something different about menopause stress. You may be experiencing new physical symptoms, might not be sleeping very well, and, thanks to the common swings in estrogen levels women of menopausal age experience, you might find it harder to keep your cool.
One tool in your belt: Changing your breathing. Research suggests slow breathing exercises can activate your mind-body connection to relax you mentally and physically (ever notice how taking a deep breath after a taxing moment can feel like such a relief?).
Stress-reducing breathing techniques
The next time you feel yourself tensing up, try one of the self-guided breathing exercises below.
1. Flowers and candles
The key to this exercise is engaging your diaphragm, says psychotherapist and anxiety expert Stephanie Sarkis, Ph.D.
Step 1. Inhale through your nose like you’re sniffing a flower.
Step 2. Exhale through your mouth like you’re blowing out birthday candles.
Step 3. Repeat as needed, until you feel calmer.
2. Pursed-lip breathing
This simple technique can be done anywhere.
Step 1. Relax your upper body.
Step 2. Inhale through your nose for two full seconds.
Step 3. Purse your lips as though you’re about to whistle.
Step 4. Exhale slowly (for four seconds) through your pursed lips.
3. 5-6 breathing
Master this technique in a quiet setting, then use it to help your body self-regulate in stressful situations.
Step 1. Inhale through your nose for a count of one, while thinking the word “one” in your head.
Step 2. Exhale through your mouth for a count of five, while thinking the word “relax.”
Step 3. Inhale again for a count of one, thinking the word “two.”
Step 4. Exhale again for five, thinking the word “relax.”
Step 5. Repeat until you get to 10 inhales and exhales.
4. 4-7-8 breathing
This may help you sleep better — try it sitting or lying down.
Step 1. Place one hand on your stomach and one on your chest.
Step 2. Take a deep breath, counting to four as you inhale.
Step 3. Hold that breath and count to seven.
Step 4. Count to eight as you exhale. Try to visualize yourself pushing all the air out of your lungs.
Step 5. Repeat three to seven times, or until you feel calmer.
5. Alternate nostril breathing
A common yoga breathing technique, alternate nostril breathing may decrease blood pressure and heart rate.
Step 1. Sit upright and exhale fully through both nostrils.
Step 2. Close your right nostril with the thumb of your right hand.
Step 3. Inhale slowly through the left nostril.
Step 4. After a complete inhale, close your left nostril with the little and ring fingers of your right hand.
Step 5. Lift your right thumb off your right nostril and fully exhale through the right nostril.
Step 6. Close your right nostril with your right thumb and release your left nostril.
Step 7. Inhale through your left nostril.
Step 8. Continue rotating nostrils.
6. The squeegee breath
Using imagery while you take some deep breaths can help you release stress, says Susan Albers Psy.D., a clinical psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic. Here's how:
Step 1. Take a full inhale.
Step 2. As you exhale, imagine a squeegee going all the way from the top of your head to your toes.
Step 3. Imagine your stress flowing down like dirty water, rinsing off at your feet.
Step 4. Inhale again, this time imagining you’re inhaling clean water or clean thoughts.
Step 5. Repeat two more times.
7. Breathing in a word
Go one step further with imagery using this simple technique:
Step 1. Sit comfortably and close your eyes.
Step 2. As you inhale, think of the phrase “breathing in peace and calm.”
Step 3. As you exhale, think “breathing out tension and anxiety.”
Step 4. As you think these phrases, imagine stress leaving your body and peace taking its place.
Step 5. Continue for up to 10 minutes, gradually adding time until you reach 20 minutes.