Breathing techniques are a good way to combat anxiety and calm your body. They also help you control anxious thoughts and feelings, which can be a big help in coping with anxiety symptoms.

People with anxiety often take quick, shallow breaths from their chest that disrupt the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the body. This is called hyperventilation and can worsen physical symptoms like dizziness, muscle tension and rapid heart rate.

1. Slow Inhale

The way you breathe has a huge impact on how your body reacts to stress. Breathing quickly or shallowly can cause your breathing to disrupt the balance of gases in your blood. This can lead to feelings of anxiety and other physical symptoms of stress.

But breathing slowly can help you relax and feel better. There are a few different ways to do this, but most of them involve slow inhaling and exhaling through your nose or mouth.

Several studies have shown that breathing techniques can improve your heart rate and blood pressure, as well as your ability to focus on the present moment. They also seem to reduce stress and enhance your sleep.

2. Slow Exhale

One of the most effective breathing techniques for anxiety is slow exhaling. This is an ancient yoga technique that can help you reduce your stress levels and focus on your breath.

The slow exhale will not only calm your nervous system, but it also increases the level of your body's parasympathetic activity. Increased parasympathetic activity is often linked to better sleep, which in turn may lead to a reduction of anxiety symptoms.

This breathing technique can be practiced in a variety of ways, but the easiest way is by lying down and placing one hand on your stomach. Breathe through your nose while imagining your belly is filling up with air and then letting it empty as you exhale.

3. Breathe Through Pursed Lips

Breathing through pursed lips is a breathing technique that helps strengthen lungs and prevent shortness of breath. It's one of the most commonly used exercises in pulmonary rehabilitation programs.

This is a very simple and easy breathing exercise that's especially useful for people with lung conditions such as COPD, asthma and restrictive lung disease.

When you breathe in through your nose, purse your lips as if you're about to whistle or "gently flicker the flame of a candle." While you exhale through your mouth, count silently for two counts (inhale, one, two).

This technique helps relieve your shortness of breath, improves your breathing control and increases your ability to relax. It can also help you cope with anxiety.

4. Breathe Slowly

Breathing slowly can be a great tool for relieving stress and anxiety. It can be a bit challenging to do at first, but with practice and support from friends and family it can become a powerful tool for managing your feelings.

Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. This is known as a "calming breath" and can be a good way to calm down and relax anytime, day or night.

It is important to breathe slowly to let your brain know everything is okay. This will help keep you safe and relaxed, says Gerbarg.

Breathing deeply can also help you turn on the parasympathetic part of your nervous system. This is what helps you feel more in control and calm down when a situation becomes too stressful or threatening to handle.

5. Breathe Through Your Nostrils

Breathing through your nose is an effective technique that can help to calm your mind and fight off feelings of anxiety. It also helps to boost oxygen quality, reduce exposure to toxins and allergens, improve sleep, and strengthen the immune system.

In addition, nasal breathing helps to stimulate the reflex nerves that control your breath, ensuring that you’re breathing correctly. This helps to lower your risk of developing a breathing disorder such as obstructive sleep apnea, which can be a cause of extreme anxiety and stress.

To begin introducing nose breathing into your daily routine, try a simple exercise called alternate nostril breathing. It involves inhaling through one nostril, and then closing the opposite one with your finger. Repeat this process until you’re comfortable breathing through your nose.

6. Breathe Through Your Nostrils Counting

Breathing through your nose is not only an efficient way to get oxygen into your body, but it also has a number of benefits for your overall health. As air enters your nose, it passes through the mucus-lined windpipe, which traps unwanted particles before they enter your lungs.

This helps prevent respiratory infections. It also increases the production of nitric oxide, which boosts circulation and delivers oxygen to your cells.

It also reduces carbon dioxide waste in your body, which keeps your blood pH level steady.

If you’re struggling with anxiety or stress, consider giving this exercise a try. It’s a great way to calm your mind and body, especially before an important meeting or stressful event.

7. Breathe Through Your Nostrils Counting to 4

Breathing through your nose is an incredibly effective and powerful way to calm your nervous system. It also helps your lower lungs become active, pumping out more oxygen and decreasing carbon dioxide waste.

It’s important to practice this breathing technique often because the longer you do it, the better it will help combat your anxiety. Here’s how to do it:

Counting to four in your head, inhale deeply through your nose and hold the breath for 4 counts. Then exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat the process three to seven times.

8. Breathe Through Your Nostrils Counting to 7

Breathing through your nose, as opposed to mouth-breathing, helps calm anxiety because it activates your body’s parasympathetic nervous system. These nerve receptors tell your brain to send calming hormones to fight stress.

Counting your breath while breathing through your nose is another popular method that works to calm anxiety. "Counting your breath can be a great way to slow down and take your mind off the stress you are experiencing," says Dr. Young.

To practice this breathing technique, place the thumb of one hand over your right nostril and ring finger on your left nostril (your forefinger and middle finger rest on your eyebrows). Next, breathe in through your right nostril while counting to 4 and exhale through your left nostril while counting to 7. Repeat this cycle around 6 times.

9. Breathe Through Your Nostrils Counting to 8

Nasal breathing has long been linked to a host of benefits, from helping improve your sinuses to combating asthma and reducing instances of sleep apnea. The cilia in the passages in your nose help filter out debris and toxins in the air, and they also humidify the air you breathe, something that's not possible with mouth breathing.

4-7-8 breathing is a repetitive sequence that helps activate your parasympathetic nervous system. This system calms down your sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for stress and the "fight-or-flight" response.

To learn this technique, sit up straight in a comfortable position and take a deep breath through your nose. Count to four in your head, then hold your breath for seven counts and exhale through your nose for eight. Do four cycles in a row when you first begin practicing, then gradually increase the number of cycles.

10. Breathe Through Your Nostrils Counting to 1

Nasal breathing helps your brain calm racing thoughts, which can help ease anxiety. It also improves oxygenation and increases CO2 tolerance, which can aid exercise performance.

This exercise can be done sitting in a comfortable position with your back straight. Close off your right nostril with your finger and breathe in through your left for six counts.

Practice this technique several times a day to reap the benefits of nasal breathing. It can be a little uncomfortable at first, but the more you do it, the better you'll feel.