Healthy for us

How to Breathe when Stressed

When stressed, you may have some troubles concentrating or even sleeping. If you’re in an exam, or at work, you can always take a minute to breathe to reduce your stress without anyone knowing what you are doing.

Steps

1. Know the symptoms of being stressed. They are:

* If you get a headache while arguing or thinking about things.
* If you have a hard time going to sleep because you have many things on your mind.
* If you are in school, or having a test/exam, and you can’t concentrate.
2. Sit or lie down, your choice.
3. Inhale slowly and say to yourself “I am...”
4. Exhale slowly and say to yourself “relaxed.”

Optional Method

1. Exhale deeply, contracting the belly.
2. Inhale slowly as you expand your abdomen, then your chest, and finally raise your shoulders towards your ears.
3. Hold for a few seconds.
4. Exhale by releasing your shoulders, relaxing chest and contracting the belly.
5. Repeat as desired.

Tips

* If this is your first time trying these exercises, you should start with the first step about 2-3 times and then move onto the second step.


Warnings

* If you repeat these steps too many times, you may feel dizzy and feel like you are going to faint. This is when you may be hyperventilating.
* Hyperventilating (breathing in to deeply or to fast) is caused by stress and anxiety.
* If these steps or other relaxation techniques don’t help, you may have severe stress and it is wise to see a doctor.