4 Ways Mindful Breathing Can Help You Feel Better

4 Ways Mindful Breathing Can Help You Feel Better

Are you holding your breath right now?

It might seem surprising, since breathing is the one thing we’ve all been able to do since birth, but many folks have a tendency to hold their breath when they’re stressed or distracted. We breathe automatically for lots of reasons, and one of those reasons is so that we don’t have to waste our mental energy forcing ourselves to breathe to stay alive. While that is certainly handy, one consequence is that it’s easy to tune out your breathing to the point where you don’t notice it. Getting in touch with your breath through mindful breathing can help you feel better during times when you are stressed or upset.  

The first step to practice mindful breathing is to start noticing your breath regularly. You might not even notice when you start holding your breath or breathing shallowly. Shallow breathing often comes up in moments of stress or discomfort, when our bodies are preparing us to fight or flee. Try to notice the times when you’re naturally holding your breath or when your breathing gets shallow. Notice what it feels like in your body when your breathing isn’t as deep. Maybe put a sticky note on your desk to remind you to take deep breaths whenever you notice it. 

What is mindful breathing?

Mindful breathing is pretty much what it sounds like - focusing your attention on your breathing instead of letting it happen without you noticing. Practices like yoga or breath work focus heavily on the breath as a way to connect to the body and can help you to build the habit of tuning in to your breath. These practices can help you incorporate mindful breathing into your life regularly so you have a built in reminder to focus on your breath. 

Mindful breathing doesn’t have to be a whole production, either if that makes it hard to start. It really can be as simple as noticing “Oh hey, I’m holding my breath a lot right now.” and then deciding to take some slow, deep breaths. 

Why mindful breathing is helpful 

Has anyone ever told you to take a deep breath when you’re really upset? It can be frustrating advice because it might not seem like it will actually help, but deep breathing actually has a lot of benefits. Some of the benefits of deep breathing include: 

• Lowered stress levels

• Improved immunity

• Lower blood pressure

• Increased energy

• Better digestion

Here are 4 other ways that mindful breathing can help you feel better in moments of distress: 

Mindful breathing oxygenates the blood

When you take nice deep breaths, you not only give yourself something else to focus on besides your distress, but you take in more oxygen. The oxygen you breathe in is transported around the body from your lungs, which helps your body function more efficiently. This is part of why taking slow deep breaths can boost your energy - you’re properly oxygenating your cells, so they’re ready to be used. 

Mindful breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system

Another reason that mindful breathing helps you feel better is that it activates your parasympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system, or PNS is the part of your nervous system that comes online in times of calm. Your sympathetic nervous system, on the other hand, is what is activated in times of stress, and it controls your fight or flight response. When your body is stressed and ready for a fight (or flight), your body shuts down certain processes, like digestion, to conserve energy to defend yourself and stay alive. Deep breathing helps your PNS come back online, which restores your body to a state of calm. 

Mindful breathing you become aware of the present moment

In our increasingly distracted world, it’s a powerful skill to be present in the current moment. Mindfulness is a valuable tool that helps you learn how to direct your attention and encourages you not to judge yourself. 

The key with the mindful aspect of mindful breathing is to try to keep yourself focused on your breath. Notice each inhale and exhale and the space in between. Notice how the deep breaths make your body feel. Any other thoughts that come up can be gently pushed away. When you notice your thoughts wandering to other things, just calmly shift your attention back to your breath. 

Mindful breathing directs your focus away from distress

Not only does mindful breathing help to literally calm your body down, but it can be a great distraction. When something is stressing you out or making you uncomfortable, turning your focus onto your breath can help you feel less distress. Paying attention to your breathing and taking deep breaths gives you something else to focus on other than what’s upsetting you, which can help you calm down in the moment. 

The calming effects of breath work that we discussed above help your body calm down in a few different ways, and the space it takes up in your brain to control your breath forces you to shift your focus, which can be helpful in uncomfortable moments. Deep breathing has even been shown to reduce pain! 

It’s powerful to notice how what’s going on in your body influences your mental health. We often think of mental health as being just in the brain, but your whole body has an impact on how you’re feeling, and you can engage your whole body in your healing process. Working with a therapist who approaches healing through a holistic perspective can give you new insight into how to connect what's going on in your mind and body and how to use both to feel like your best self. Get in touch with our office today to get started.