Breathing techniques can help with many things, like worry, sleep, and chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD). Each of these five breathing methods can assist you, whether you are trying to ease the signs of a deeper problem or just looking for a moment of peace. They’re all easy to do at home.

Deep Belly Breathing

Deep belly breathing is a simple practice that almost anyone can try. It teaches you to breathe correctly so your chest muscles don’t get tight. This is important because breathing through the diaphragm helps you take longer, slower breaths that have been shown to help you concentrate and feel less stressed.

How To Do It:

• Find a place to sit or stand that feels good.
• Put one hand on your abs, just below your ribs. Put the other hand on your chest.
• Take a big breath through your nose as you push out with your hand on your belly.
• As you breathe, purse your lips and blow out like you’re putting out a candle.
• Get rid of all the air in your belly with your hand.
• Three to ten times, do this.

The 4-7-8 Technique

The 4-7-8 method can help you relax and fall asleep more easily. The method should be tried by anyone feeling anxious or wanting to calm down.

How To Do It:

Hold your tongue on the roof of your mouth, behind your upper teeth, and breathe through pursed lips the whole time. Because this slows down your exhale, it’s easy to make it longer than your breath. Here are the steps you should take to do the 4-7-8 technique:

• Take slow, deep breaths in using your nose.
• When you bring a deep breath in, hold it for seven counts.
• For eight counts, let out your breath through pursed lips.
• Do the cycle twice a day for up to four times.

Lion’s Breath

Lion’s breath is probably named after how you sigh when you open your mouth wide, stick out your tongue, and open your mouth wide again. This method works your vocal cords more than other breathing routines, making it an excellent choice for singers or people with trouble speaking.

How To Do It:

• Close your eyes and find a safe place to stand or sit.
• Focus on yourself and think for a second about what stresses you out that you want to let go of.
• Take a big, long breath in through your nose.
• Say “haa” out loud as you let your breath out. Stick out your tongue and open your eyes wide.
• Every day, do this once to three times.

Roll Breathing

Rolling your shoulders back and forth teaches you to use all of your lung space. At first, you practice it while lying down, but once you get good at it, you can do it anywhere.

How To Do It:

• Put one hand on your chest and one on your stomach.
• Eight to ten times, breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.
• Fill your lungs up so your stomach grows, but your chest stays still as you breathe.
• After eight to ten breaths, breathe through your lower and upper chest. Your belly hand should move down a bit.
• Say “whoosh” out loud as you let out your breath, then drop your hands from your stomach and chest to your side.
• For three to five minutes, do this.

Box Breathing

Box breathing is a way to calm your body by taking deep breaths, keeping them, and then letting them out for equal amounts of time. This practice differs from breathing routines like the 4-7-8 method, which stresses longer exhales than inhales because of its balance.

How To Do It:

• Take slow, deep breaths in using your nose.
• Wait for four.
• For four counts, breathe out through your nose.
• Wait for four.
• Do it as many times as you want.

Conclusion

Focusing on your breath is good for you in all of the above routines, even though they are done differently. This can help ease worry, lower stress, and make you feel better.