Quick & Easy: 7 Breathing Techniques

January 9, 2025

Diaphragmatic Breathing (Belly Breathing)
- Focuses on deep breaths from the diaphragm, reducing stress and promoting relaxation.
- How to Do It: Inhale deeply through your nose, letting your belly expand, then exhale fully through your mouth.
4-7-8 Breathing
- Helps calm the nervous system and promote relaxation.
- How to Do It: Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, and exhale through your mouth for 8 seconds.
Box Breathing
- Balances the body and mind; often used by athletes and Navy SEALs.
- How to Do It: Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds, and hold for another 4 seconds. Repeat.

Kapalabhati Breathing (Skull Shining Breath)
- Energizes the body and clears the mind.
- How to Do It: Take a deep inhale, then exhale sharply through the nose while pulling the navel inward. Repeat in quick, rhythmic bursts.
Wim Hof Method
- Boosts energy, endurance, and mental clarity.
- How to Do It: Take 30 deep breaths in and out, then hold your breath after exhaling for as long as comfortable. Inhale deeply and hold for 15 seconds before releasing.

Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril Breathing)
- Calms the mind and prepares the body for rest.
- How to Do It: Close your right nostril with your thumb, inhale through the left nostril. Close the left nostril with your ring finger, and exhale through the right nostril. Repeat, alternating sides.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation Breathing
- Combines deep breathing with gradual muscle relaxation.
- How to Do It: Inhale while tensing a muscle group (like your legs), then exhale as you release the tension. Work through the body.

Resonant Breathing (Coherent Breathing)
- Stabilizes heart rate and promotes emotional balance.
- How to Do It: Inhale for 5 seconds, exhale for 5 seconds. Aim for 6 breaths per minute.
The Physiological Sigh
- Quickly reduces stress and calms the body.
- How to Do It: Take two quick inhales through the nose, followed by a long exhale through the mouth.

Mindful Breathing
- Focuses on the present moment and promotes mindfulness.
- How to Do It: Simply observe your breath, noticing the sensation of air entering and leaving your body. Let thoughts come and go without judgment.
Ocean’s Breath (Ujjayi Pranayama)
- Enhances focus and relaxation, often used in yoga.
- How to Do It: Inhale deeply through the nose while slightly constricting the back of the throat, then exhale through the nose with the same constriction, creating a "whispering ocean" sound.

Buteyko Breathing
- Improves oxygen efficiency and athletic performance.
- How to Do It: Take shallow, controlled breaths through the nose, reducing over-breathing to increase carbon dioxide levels in the blood.
Pursed-Lip Breathing
- Increases oxygen delivery during exercise or physical activity.
- How to Do It: Inhale through your nose, then exhale slowly through pursed lips, as if blowing out a candle.

Lion’s Breath
- Releases tension and clears emotional blockages.
- How to Do It: Inhale deeply through the nose, then exhale strongly through the mouth, sticking out your tongue and roaring like a lion.
Holotropic Breathwork
- Used in therapy to access altered states of consciousness and release trauma.
- How to Do It: Inhale and exhale deeply and rapidly for an extended period, usually guided by a trained practitioner.

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