Best Breathing Exercises to Relax in 10 Minutes or Less

Let us all admit to the fact that there comes a time in your life where you feel stressed out or struggle with something difficult. In such a condition you need to indulge in an activity to relax your mind, for instance, spending time with family, cooking something delicious, or taking deep breaths in order to calm the tense muscles and other organs in your body.

You need some time with yourself to do whatever makes you happy. What if I tell you that you can do this by simply performing some breathing exercises, which can relax your body at a quicker pace.

There are many mobile applications available which you can download if you have a good internet connection. Those apps guide you in a better way or you can use the following breathing techniques to get over any stressful condition in around 10 minutes or less and live a happy and healthy life:

Diaphragmatic breathing

This exercise helps people not only to ease out their stress but also to calm down their nervous system and strengthen the diaphragm. It also increases the relaxation process and increases the oxygen level in your bloodstream.

To perform this breathing exercise you need to follow the following steps:

Lie down on your back
Place one hand on your upper chest and the other one below the rib cage.
Breath at a slow pace through your nose
Feel your belly moving only.

This breathing exercise has positive effects on people who have symptoms or suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, also known as PTSD. It improves your core muscle stability and increases the tolerance level for intense exercises.

4-7-8 X 7 breathing exercise

This breathing exercise requires people to focus while they take long, deep breaths and inhale and exhale. Rhythmic breathing is one of the key parts of this breathing technique and promotes relaxation. It helps people reduce anxiety, get sound sleep, manage cravings, and control and reduce responses to aggressive situations.

To perform the 4-7-8 breathing exercise you need to follow the following steps:

Empty your lungs and make sure there is no air in them
Breath in using your nose for around 4 seconds
Hold your breath and keep a count of 7 seconds
Exhale using a little force through your mouth with your lips pursed and make a “whoosh” sound for around 8 seconds.
Repeat the cycle for around 4 to 7 times.

Experts suggest that you can make this exercise a little more beneficial by keeping your tongue pressed against the back of your teeth. This is going to make breathing out from the mouth easier and more mindful for you.

5-5-5 breathing exercise

A part of our nervous system provides us more energy when we need it. It is called the sympathetic nervous system. There is another part of the nervous system that helps us stay calm when we are too excited. This part is called the parasympathetic nervous system. In case you are upset or feeling nervous or a little anxious, then the parasympathetic nervous system will help you calm yourself down.

To perform the 5-5-5 breathing exercise you need to follow the following steps:

Inhale using your nose at a slow pace for around 5 seconds.
Exhale slowly through your nose or your mouth for 5 seconds
Wait for around 5 seconds
Repeat the process for three more times
By the end of this, you should notice that you are calm and relaxed

In a tense situation, this technique is going to help you keep yourself calm and would keep your nervous system organized. People going through a tough time should practice this breathing technique to stay calm and organized.

Wim Hof Method

We, as humans, have developed a very different attitude towards nature. Nowadays, people have completely forgotten that there is something called “inner power”. This is one of the ways that you can adapt to extreme temperatures and survive within the environment you live in. The Win Hof Method is based on this principle.

People control the temperature around them by wearing clothes and use other artificial ways to control the temperature at home and work. The Win Hof Method can help you live a healthier and better life and make you feel stronger.

Here’s how you can practice the Wim Hof method:

Take 30 power breaths, this includes deep breathing where you can inhale fully but you don’t have to exhale fully.
Hold your breath for as long as you can
After exhaling your breath, take another deep breath and hold it for around 10 seconds.
Repeat the process for around 3 times.

The Wim Hof method is an amazing technique that can help you reduce stress, recover faster from physical exertions, get better sleep and help you become an athletic sportsman. Not only this, it helps you become more creative and more focused so that you have a clear mind when you go to work. People who suffer from diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, vasculitis, and many other autoimmune diseases.

The Wim Hof Method is also known for reducing symptoms of diseases like multiple sclerosis, asthma, sarcoidosis, and several autoimmune diseases.

Three-part breathing

The three-part breathing exercise helps fill your lungs in a way that you are breathing into your belly, the rib cage and the upper chest. Then you can exhale completely and reverse the flow. This technique focuses on three parts of the body including:

The abdomen
The diaphragm
The chest.

You can perform the Three-part breathing exercise using the following steps:

Find a comfortable spot in your home, place your left hand on your belly and your right hand on the outer edge of your rib cage.
Focus on breathing and inhale using your nose until your belly begins to fill.
Feel the air and fill your rib cage as your lungs expand.
Try to move the air into your chest.
When you exhale, reverse the order of your breath.
Let it leave your body through your chest, the lungs and then finally your belly.

The Three-part breathing is ideal for meditation and best if you practice this technique before asana. If you feel stressed out or when you feel that your breath is constricted, you can invoke this exercise. If you practice this technique on a regular basis, your mind and body will become more conscious of the present moment.

Your whole body gets affected by the way you breathe. Breathing exercises are always a good way to relax, get rid of stress, and relieve tension. The best part is that these exercises are very easy to learn and practice which means that you don’t even need any special gear or equipment to perform them.