Improve Anxiety with Better Breathing

Anxiety and depression are at an all time high as our world changes and we have to accept new ways of doing things and being in the world. Some may find it harder to go out into the world to do the things they need to do. Some are going through changes in their living situation or how they spend or make money. Many just feel stressed out in general which, I think we can all agree is a fertile ground for anxiety and depression. Our health and wellness in both the body and the mind have the spotlight like never before! And many are seeing the need to have a personal skill set that includes the ability to calm the body and mind. If stress is a reality we have accepted, then some methods of management, some tools are needed. And this year has certainly had more challenges than any in recent memory. So I personally needed to get back to my roots, my ancient roots and use the very effective tools I have to support the process I’m in and use it for the transformational upgrade it’s intended to be. 

Yoga is my primary tool. I am more clear about that than ever! What it provides in terms of support, growth, understanding, balance, expansion and wholeness is extraordinary and unmatched. If you want consistently good results, and who doesn’t,  practice consistently and you will get them. We often want consistent performance from the body or mind but fail to treat either consistently or do the supporting practices regularly. So is it realistic to expect consistency in return? I don’t think so. And for me, when I say yoga, I am including breathing practices, meditation and more. The practices and techniques beyond the physical practice are extensive and transformational and that’s exactly what the times call for.

The need to have the ability to calm your body and mind is more important than ever. As far as I’m concerned, this is a skill set children should learn in school instead of some of the other nonsense they have to memorize and regurgitate that everyone is bored to death with. What do you do when you need or want to calm your body or mind or both? For instance when I need to calm my body, flowing movement, easy stretching or a walk all work very well. Calming the mind can require a different approach. My go to for that is breathwork and meditation and I want to talk more about why the breath is a really good and underrated choice.

First, from a physiologic perspective, we know that incorrect breathing can literally cause anxiety, stress and depression. Think about it. Did anyone teach you to breathe properly or watch you and tell you if you’re doing a good job or not? Probably not. And because the body is so brilliant, and wants to continue living, it breathes for you. But that doesn't mean you are breathing in the most efficient, correct or effective manner. How do you feel if you can’t breathe? Panicked! The survival instinct is triggered and the central nervous system shifts you into a fight or flight mode which increases the heart rate, triggers fear and anxiety and uses even more of your oxygen. So an awareness and understanding of the breath can be very helpful.

Simply by paying more attention to your breath you will naturally do a better job breathing. Better breathing will naturally result in better overall health. One of the ways better breathing improves your health is by increasing the amount of oxygen in the blood. What is one of the first things they check if you have to go to the hospital? They put the little thing on your finger to read how much oxygen is in your blood. So clearly, the oxygen levels in the blood are very important. One of the breathing or pranayama practices I teach increases the oxygen levels in your blood by up to 7 times!

When our health improves our mental/emotional state improves. The connection of the two is indisputable. Breath plays a key role in our health and wellness. So why aren’t we taught how to breathe properly? I often notice incorrect or inefficient breathing in others, particularly in yoga practice. I think a big reason why students are not doing a good job of breathing is both a lack of attention to the breath and a lack of understanding how the breath works and how to breathe properly.  But there's more.

Breath and mind are intricately, intimately connected. One influences the other with either taking the lead. This is powerful information! It means we can learn to use the breath to positively affect the mind! Consider that for a moment. It does takes time and consistent practice to cultivate that kind of relationship with the breath and we often give up before we have been able to both override an old pattern and create a new one. So we have to be committed to the practice for an extended period of time, at least 3 months. If that seems like a long time, think about how long you have been dealing with anxiety and depression. It might be longer. So it makes sense that it will take time to create new habits. 

Most of us have either been told or told someone else to “take a few deep breaths” when they are out of control in some way or headed in that direction. And if we can manage to do that, it really can help. It slows down the speed the mind is moving at trying to figure out how to respond to whatever stimulus is present. So we can also use breath to slow down the mind.Think about that. How often do you feel like your mind is going a million mph? Taking a few deep, full breaths, especially if we feel triggered, will create a pause and more space for mind to make a decision about how it wants to respond instead of just reacting in a nonproductive way that can’t possibly create the outcome we want.  

I’ve already talked about getting the body moving and how that can help shift us out of loops that don't serve us. This is why yoga asana practice focuses on connecting breath with movement. When we combine movement and breath we are building bridges within ourselves that allow information to pass more freely and unimpeded through the central nervous system. Imagine the increase in your overall vitality if the way information is shared improves ! This is possible just from doing a better job breathing. It’s simple and it works. Let’s try it.

Sit up nice and tall but not stiff. Shoulders back and down. Head neck and trunk aligned. Observe the way you are breathing. Do you feel it in your nose? Your chest? Your mouth? How deep is the inhale? How long is the exhale? Get to know your breath a little better.

Now, on the inhale let the belly expand outward like a balloon, let it get big and round. On the exhale move the belly in and contract the navel towards the spine. Then smoothly let the belly out as you breathe in, filling the belly first. On the exhale, smoothly pull the belly in and try that for a few more breaths. Continue this for 6 minutes or more. Keep the mind focused on nothing but the breath. Keep the breath smooth and easy, no jerks. Notice that body and mind are starting to relax. Keep your attention on the breath and performing that breath as well as you can. It’s that easy to begin to calm mind and body. Remember it is a practice and like anything that needs to be practiced, it requires your consistent attention to develop the skills that will support you day in and day out and override patterns that may have been in place for many years. A daily practice of conscious breathing will create more stability in your central nervous system. Try it and see.