5 simple exercises to improve breathing and control stress

With so many deadlines and the overload of work in the office every day, it gets really difficult to take care of your physical and mental health while achieving everything you want. The point is that when we become adults, our life becomes a problem-solving game and unexpected situations arise all the time. Naturally, things that are beyond our control, by default create stress, the following exercises can not only help you control stress but will also improve breathing which will help you calm your body and mind:

1. DEEP BREATHING 

• Make yourself feel comfortable. You might lie on your back in bed or on the floor with a pillow under your head and knees. Or you can even sit in a chair with your shoulders, head, and neck supported against the back of the chair.
• Breathe in through your nose and let your belly fill fully with air.
• Breathe out through your nose.
• Place one hand on your belly and the other on your chest.
• When you breathe in, you will feel your belly rise. As you breathe out, feel your belly lower. The hand that you have placed on your belly must move more than the one that’s on your chest.
• Take three more full, deep breaths. Breathe through your belly as it rises and falls with your breath.
   

2. PROGRESSIVE MUSCLE RELAXATION 

• Lie down comfortably on the floor on a mat.
• Take a few deep breaths to relax and stay still
• Breathe in and feel the tension in the muscles of your feet.
• Exhale and release the tension in your feet.
• Similarly, Breathe in and tense your calf muscles.
• Breathe out and release the tension in your calves.

Work your way up your body and repeat the process with each muscle group. This involves your legs, belly, chest, fingers, arms, shoulders, neck, and face.

3. MODIFIED LION’S BREATH

• Make yourself comfortable on the floor or in a chair.
• Breathe in through your nose and fill your belly all the way up with air fully.
• When you feel that you can’t breathe in anymore, open your mouth as wide as you can and breathe out by releasing a “HA” sound.
• Repeat this process several times.

4. GIVING EQUAL TIME TO INHALE AND EXHALE

• For this, make yourself comfortable on the floor or in a chair.
• Breathe in through your nose and as you do it, count to five in your mind.
• Breathe out by our nose to the count of five.
• Repeat this exercise several times.

5. FOCUSING ON BREATH AND MANIFESTATION

• Take some big and deep breaths.
• Breathe in and as you do that, think that the air is filled with a sense of peace and calm. Try to feel this throughout your body in every inch of it.
• Breathe out and While you’re doing it, imagine that the air leaves with your stress and tension.
• After this, use a word or phrase with your breath and as you breathe in, say this in your mind, “I breathe in peace and calm.”
• As you breathe out, say it in your mind, “I breathe out stress and tension.”
• Continue this exercise for 10 to 20 minutes.