The previous years have left many, if not all of us, spent from all the calamities and disasters we have experienced. This is why it is to no one’s surprise that cases of mental health problems have increased over the years. In fact, according to recent reports, around 10 million Americans have serious mental disorders. And on top of the list of common mental health problems in the U.S. is anxiety.
Numbers from the Anxiety & Depression Association of America (ADAA) reveal that anxiety affects 40 million adults yearly. Their condition stems from complex risk factors such as brain chemistry, genetics, and life events. People with anxiety disorder experience symptoms like restlessness, excessive worrying, sleeping problem, and panic attacks. If you or a loved one has anxiety, you can try these breathing exercises, which you can start immediately, to calm you down when symptoms manifest.
- Box Breathing
This is a simple breathing exercise that you can do virtually anywhere. The first step is exhaling to a count of four, then holding your lungs empty to another count of four. After that, you inhale to a count of four, then hold the air in your lungs to another count of four, and finally, you exhale to a count of four. You repeat these steps until you feel a bit calmed down.
- 4-7-8 Breathing
This technique is another pace breathing exercise helpful for people with anxiety. To do this, you first have to sit down with your back straight. And then, you have to make sure that your tongue is placed on the back of your upper front teeth. You can start the breathing exercise by breathing out through your mouth to make a whooshing sound. Next, you close your mouth and count to four while breathing in through your nose. And then, you hold your breath to a count of seven. Next, you breathe out again and make the whooshing sound for a count of 8. Repeat these steps three times.
- Counting up to 10
When a breathing exercise is overwhelming, you can instead try counting up to 10 repeatedly to calm down.
We at Community Mental Health (CMH) would like to remind you that these breathing exercises are meant only to ease your anxiety. When your symptoms persist, it is best to see your doctor if you need therapy.