When you are sitting at home or even at work, these breathing techniques are perfect for taking a quick, refreshing break. They offer powerful benefits for calming the nerves and refocusing the mind.
By understanding how each technique works, you can choose the right one for your needs, from stabilizing your nervous system to building focus and emotional control. Practicing these exercises daily can lead to significant benefits in your daily life, helping you manage stress and maintain a clear, calm mind.
Breathing Techniques Overview
Cardiac Coherence
- How it works: Slow breathing at 5 breaths per minute (inhale 6 s, exhale 6 s) to regulate heart rate variability.
- Reps/Duration: Practice for 5–10 minutes, once or twice daily.
- Benefits: Stabilizes the autonomic nervous system and brings immediate stress relief.
Box Breathing
- How it works: Equal phases of inhale, hold, exhale, hold — each lasting 4 seconds.
- Reps/Duration: Do 4 cycles, repeat up to 3 times (total ~5 minutes).
- Benefits: Builds focus, reduces anxiety, and enhances emotional control.
- Read more about Box Breathing here.
4–6 Box Breathing
- How it works: Inhale for 4 s, hold for 6 s, exhale for 4 s, hold for 6 s. This variation delays exhale to reinforce calm.
- Reps/Duration: 4–6 cycles (~4 minutes) per session.
- Benefits: Highly effective for reducing acute stress and balancing nervous response.
- Read more about 4–6 Box Breathing here.
Lateral Breathing
- How it works: Expand ribs sideways (not belly), hold ribs slightly engaged on inhale, exhale gently.
- Reps/Duration: 10–15 breaths, pause briefly between cycles, repeat 2–3 times.
- Benefits: Increases lung capacity, supports posture, fosters alert calm.
- Read more about Lateral Breathing here.
Diaphragmatic Breathing
- How it works: Place one hand on chest, one on abdomen; inhale through the nose filling the diaphragm, exhale through the mouth.
- Reps/Duration: 10 breaths, hold 2 s after each inhale, repeat twice.
- Benefits: Activates the parasympathetic nervous system, lowers heart rate, reduces tension.
- Read more about Diaphragmatic Breathing here.
Practicing the techniques
By practicing these techniques, you can experience real benefits, from reducing stress and calming your mind to improving focus.
All of the techniques highlighted here—from Cardiac Coherence to Diaphragmatic Breathing—are available within the BreathInU app. It offers a simple way to include them in your day, allowing you to easily adjust each session to fit your mood or schedule.