Deep breathing is a great relaxation tool for managing stress. There are many types of deep breathing that have been studied and found the have therapeutic benefits. One of my favorite techniques is 4-7-8 breathing.
The Practice of 4-7-8 Breathing
Start by making yourself comfortable. You should be laying down or reclined in a safe seated position in case you become dizzy. This is a great practice to do while laying in bed before you sleep. STOP if you become dizzy or light headed and try starting with a shorter, more even and controlled in-and-out deep breathing practice.
- Inhale through your nose for 4
- Hold for 7
- Exhale through your mouth for 8
- repeat
Practice often. Relaxation is a skill. The more you practice deep breathing, the more you effective the practice will become at helping you relax.
If you’re new to deep breathing, it can help to place your hands on you abdomen and feel yourself breathing into your belly. You can also find great videos on YouTube that can guide you through 4-7-8 and other deep breathing exercises.
Additional Relaxation Practices
Here are some other tools for relaxation. Cultivate and incorporate a variety of methods to improve your stress management skills and develop a large toolbox.
- Restorative Yoga
- Meditation
- Journaling
- Massage therapy
- Guided imagery
- Grounding practices
More Information on Breathing Practices
The American Heart Association has a great article about deep breathing: It’s not just inspiration – careful breathing can help your health
Healthline explores this breathing technique in the article What Is the 4-7-8 Breathing Technique?
These are a few studies on deep breathing: 1, 2, 3