Breathing exercises can reduce stress
Q: I’ve heard that there are some breathing exercises that can help me control my anxiety. How does that work exactly?
Olivia F., Richmond, Virginia
A: That’s a great question! There are a couple of new studies out that show how powerfully breathing affects brain function, including mood and emotions. One published in Psychological Review found that brain rhythms are closely tied to the rhythm of your breathing and how you breathe affects emotions, attention, and how you process the outside world. The researchers also observed that you are more sensitive to the outside world when you breathe in deeply and you tune out the outside world when exhaling.
This aligns with findings of a study in JAMA Psychiatry that examined the benefits of mindfulnessbased stress reduction versus medication commonly prescribed for anxiety (escitalopram).
The researchers from Georgetown University Medical Center found that mindfulness was just as effective as the prescribed drug, with none of the potential side effects. After two months of doing two-and-ahalf hours of mindfulness classes a week along with 45 minutes of daily practice at home, participants’ anxiety level declined by about 30% — the same amount of benefit experienced by participants taking the medication.
In MBSR, you focus on your breathing as it moves in and out of your body — you can try breathing in for a count of four (your belly button should rise as you fill with air) and out for a count of eight. You can also practice walking meditation in which you pay attention to your breathing and the subtle body movements that maintain your balance. MBSR teaches you to increase the attention you pay to all your senses — touch, sound, sight, smell and taste — and to intentionally embrace an open, accepting attention to everything you do, breathing included.
Practitioners stress that MBSR is meant to be complementary to treatments by psychologists and physicians. If you would like to find a certified instructor, check out www.mindfulleader.org. Search their certified teacher directory.