Stress isn't always a bad thing. In small doses, it enables you to react quickly when faced with challenging or dangerous situations. For example, it motivates you to get that work project done on deadline, or not to drive down that dark alleyway in a sketchy part of town just because it’s a shorter path to your destination.
On the flip side, prolonged stress is well deserving of its bad reputation. Studies prove chronic stress takes a serious toll on your well-being and causes a host of health issues such as sleep problems, heart disease, inflammation, diabetes, weight gain, depression, and memory loss.
Fortunately, an arsenal of tactics are at your disposal to help you manage stress. It probably won’t surprise you that some of the key tactics are eating a healthful diet, exercising regularly, getting adequate sleep, maintaining a supportive social network, and giving the body and mind time to relax.
Another tactic that’s gaining in popularity for its ability to aid in relaxation, stress management, and sleep improvement is mindful practices such as meditation, yoga, and tai chi. At the heart of each of these mindful practices is breathwork.
The Importance of Breathwork
Breathing is an automatic function that the body does without having to think about or control, so why do you need to pay attention to it? Turns out, the ability to control your breath is one of the most powerful tools you have to optimize your health, said Jessica Beer, Ph.D., who wrote about the importance of breathwork in Positive Psychology.
Focusing your attention on your breath teaches you to anchor yourself in the present, instead of the past or the future, where you can gain distance from whatever’s stressing you. This distance and focus on breathing enable you to reduce anxiety, improve focus, and improve sleep.
Best of all, you can do breathing exercises anytime, anywhere, to aid in reaching a calmer state, and the more you practice, the easier it gets and the more resilient to stress you become. While there are various breathing exercises, they all rely on mastering diaphragmatic breathing.
Diaphragmatic breathing is a deep-breathing technique that focuses on the diaphragm, the large muscle located below the lungs that contracts and relaxes when you breathe. This type of breathing involves taking deep, slow breaths, and keeping inhalations and exhalations of equal length.
To do it properly, you want to breathe in a way that your abdomen rises during inhalation and falls during exhalation. If your chest rises during inhalation, then you’re doing what’s called chest breathing, which is shallow and mimics the breathing of a body under stress.
According to Dr. Beer’s article, belly breathing is beneficial because it “improves respiration rate and oxygen saturation associated with improvement in physical and psychological wellness and brings balance to the autonomic nervous system by triggering a parasympathetic response…” while “chest breathing reduces the amount of oxygen entering the body and increases the levels of carbon dioxide.”
Studies on diaphragmatic breathing reveal its many health benefits. In addition to reducing stress and anxiety and increasing the ability to focus and sleep, it’s been found to improve cardiovascular, respiratory, and digestive system health; nervous system regulation; blood pressure; and even the symptoms of hot flashes.
As with most things in life, practice makes progress, and with practice, diaphragmatic breathing will become second nature. Here’s how to do it.
[For more on diaphragmatic breathing, check out the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ informative handout, The Power of Breath.]
Other Breathing Techniques
After you’ve mastered belly breathing, switch things up by trying other techniques. Although you can search the internet for apps or audio programs that guide you through various techniques, these exercises are easy enough to do on your own. Here are a few that Sarah Fielding described in her breathing exercises article for Business Insider. ref
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Alternate Nostril Breathing
Box Breathing
Stress and Sleep: What the Research Says
We’ve all had those sleepless nights, where we stare at the ceiling, stressing about something that happened in the past or might happen in the future. Sleep — and the resetting it provides our bodies and brains — is crucial; without it, our entire system suffers. Again and again, research bears out the fact that chronic sleep deprivation can cause serious health problems, particularly heart issues.
For example, a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology indicated that people who sleep less than six hours a night are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in the arteries throughout the body). Another study found that about eight percent of deaths from any cause could be attributed to poor sleep patterns. While still another said that people (especially women) who have insomnia are more likely to have a heart attack.
The good news is that you can learn to manage the stress that steals your sleep and erodes your health. Using breathing techniques helps, of course, but this effort will be more effective if you first build a solid foundation of good sleep hygiene.
Good Sleep Hygiene
Psychologist and sleep medicine expert Dr. Michael Breus advises that a sleep routine include the following:
If you haven’t fallen asleep within 30 minutes of going to bed, Dr. Breus advises that you get up and do a relaxing activity (read, meditate, journal, light movement, listen to calm music), don’t check your phone or the clock, and keep the light low. Do this until you feel relaxed, tired, and ready for sleep.
Takeaway
For many people, incorporating a few lifestyle changes, including breathwork, can help soothe anxiety, decrease stress, improve well-being, and make possible the rest that the body and mind need to function well. However, if stress and insomnia persist despite your best efforts, see your doctor.
The SENS Solution® Wellness Program focuses on the four pillars of good health: sleep, exercise, nutrition, and stress management. Your personal health coach is ready to provide you with the information and guidance that will help you tackle your stress-related health issues. The wellness program website also includes blogs, articles, and videos on a great variety of health topics. As a Member, these valuable resources are free to you, 24/7.
Positive Psychology.com; 6 Best Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercises to Reduce Anxiety (positivepsychology.com); https://positivepsychology.com/diaphragmatic-breathing/
Insight Timer; Reprogram Your Breath; https://insighttimer.com/meditation-courses/course_reprogram-your-breath
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; The Power of Breath; https://www.va.gov/WHOLEHEALTHLIBRARY/docs/The-Power-Of-Breath-Diaphragmatic-Breathing.pdf
Business Insider; 9 Breathing Exercises to Relieve Anxiety and Stress; https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/health/mental-health/breathing-exercises#:~:text=The%20best%20breathing%20exercises%20include%20deep%20breathing%2C%20pursed-lip,aim%20for%20at%20least%20once%20or%20twice%20daily
American Psychological Association.org; Stress and Sleep; https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2013/sleep
American College of Cardiology; Sleeping Less Than Six Hours a Night May Increase Cardiovascular Risk; https://www.acc.org/About-ACC/Press-Releases/2019/01/14/13/57/Sleeping-Less-Than-Six-Hours-a-Night-May-Increase-Cardiovascular-Risk
American College of Cardiology; Getting Good Sleep Could Add Years to Your Life; https://www.acc.org/About-ACC/Press-Releases/2023/02/22/21/35/Getting-Good-Sleep-Could-Add-Years-to-Your-Life
American College of Cardiology; Insomnia Tied to Greater Risk of Heart Attack, Especially in Women; https://www.acc.org/About-ACC/Press-Releases/2023/02/23/18/23/Insomnia-Tied-to-Greater-Risk-of-Heart-Attack-Especially-in-Women
Sleep Doctor; The Relationship Between Sleep and Stress; https://sleepdoctor.com/mental-health/stress-and-sleep/