Decompress & Lower Stress Using This Breathing Technique

Stress is a global epidemic, with varying causes, affecting over 350 million people worldwide as of 2016. Shockingly, nearly half of adults had a stressful event in the past year, 72% regularly experienced financial stress and 60% regularly experienced work-related stress. Higher amounts of stress were associated with the development of chronic physiological and psychological related diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, depression, and anxiety.

The financial burden caused by lost productivity due to stress, additional healthcare costs, and cost to employers is substantial, at over $300 Billion. With nearly $150 Billion estimated cost in 2016-2030 in worldwide treatment related to counseling and medications to mitigate the current epidemic. Finding a low-cost, easily deliverable treatment, without environmental constraints, or use of pharmacological treatment was vital to prevent this global health issue from worsening.

One major influence on successful workplace health promotion, via development and facilitation of positive health outcomes, is utilizing deep breathing techniques. Deep breathing techniques, including the box breathing technique (Navy Seal Breathing Technique) and deep diaphragmatic breathing, can help lower blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, cortisol levels and improve focus, mood and overall stress management. The box breathing and deep diaphragmatic breathing techniques have simple instructions and can be implemented to vastly improve your overall health.

The Box Breathing Technique:

1. Inhale through your nose, counting to four

   • Place hand on stomach and breath in deeply to fill abdomen

2. Hold your breath, counting to four

3. Slowly exhale through your mouth, counting to four

   • Expel all the air filling your lungs

4. Hold your breath, counting to four

Repeat the process outlined above for approximately 5 minutes or until stress and relaxation occur

Deep Diaphragmatic Breathing Technique:

1. Place your hand on your stomach

2. Take a deep inhale through your nostrils and attempt to expand your stomach then chest

   • Count of 4 Seconds

3. Hold your breath

   • Count of 7 Seconds

4. Deeply exhale from your mouth, expelling air from your chest then stomach

   • Count of 8 Seconds

5. Pause briefly

Repeat the process outlined above for approximately 10 breaths

Daily implementation of the box breathing and deep diaphragmatic breathing techniques are useful in stimulating the vagal nerve causing increased activation of the peripheral nervous system and creating the exceptional positive outcomes noted throughout this article. What other types of foundational breathing techniques have you utilized as stress relief? Would you be interested in exploring other options and determining how these breathing techniques can alter other health conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)?

References

Hopper, S. I., Murray, S. L., Ferrara, L. R., & Singleton, J. K. (2019). Effectiveness of diaphragmatic breathing for reducing physiological and psychological stress in adults: a quantitative systematic review. JBI database of systematic reviews and implementation reports, 17(9), 1855–1876. https://doi.org/10.11124/JBISRIR-2017-003848

Melnyk, B. M., Szalacha, L. A., & Amaya, M. (2018). Psychometric Properties of the Perceived Wellness Culture and Environment Support Scale. American journal of health promotion : AJHP, 32(4), 1021–1027. https://doi.org/10.1177/0890117117737676

Melnyk, B. M., Kelly, S. A., Stephens, J., Dhakal, K., McGovern, C., Tucker, S., Hoying, J., McRae, K., Ault, S., Spurlock, E., & Bird, S. B. (2020). Interventions to Improve Mental Health, Well-Being, Physical Health, and Lifestyle Behaviors in Physicians and Nurses: A Systematic Review. American journal of health promotion : AJHP, 34(8), 929–941. https://doi.org/10.1177/0890117120920451