Calming Deep Breathing Exercise for Stress Relief: A Mindfulness Meditation

Practicing deep breathing exercises can help us cope with stress. Some people like to understand why a certain technique, like calming breathing, can help us cope with stress before trying the exercise. And, there are others who prefer to dive right into trying different relaxation exercises. Both preferences are just fine! If you prefer to learn about “the why” before “you try,” then keep on reading. If, on the other hand, you want to get right to the calming breathing, then just scroll down a few paragraphs to find the guided meditation video.

When we are under a great deal of stress, our bodies may perceive this as a threat and shift into fight or flight mode. The fight or flight response includes numerous and automatic physical responses such as muscle tension, an upset stomach, and increased breathing rate. Not only do we tend to over breath when perceiving a threat, we are also likely to take shallow breaths. When we breathe this way, especially for extended periods of time, we are often left feeling on edge.

The opposite of the fight or flight response is what is often called the rest and digest response or the relaxation response. This is the state the body shifts into when we no longer perceive a threat and sense it is finally safe to relax. We can bring on this relaxation response by intentionally controlling our breathing, specifically by taking slower and deeper breaths.

The below video is a guided meditation that focusses on stress reduction through deep breathing. When participating in a guided breathing exercise, whether in person or when following a video or audio recording, it is important to breath at your own pace. You do not need to match the breathing rate of others. What matters the most is to bring your own breathing rate to a level that is lower for you. It may be helpful to know that the average breathing rate is between 10 to 14 breaths per minute.

Calming Breathing for Stress Relief:

A Mindfulness Meditation

Transcription

Thank you for joining this mindfulness meditation, which is a short and simple practice with a focus on calming breathing for stress relief. I’m Dr. Jennifer McManus, a licensed psychologist, who regularly incorporates mindfulness into the therapeutic work I do with psychotherapy clients.

For safety reasons, please only join me in this guided meditation when you can find a quiet time to relax. For example, it’s not safe to do this when you’re driving.

Now that you have found a quiet time to relax, simply find a cozy spot, listen to my voice, and follow my direction.

I invite you to get comfortable. You may want to sit cross legged, but you don’t have to. 

Start by gazing around with your eyes, taking note of your surroundings.

See the colors clearly.

Notice the things that are around you, like the ground, furniture, other objects.

Look around without putting labels on the things you see, just observe their colors, their textures, their patterns.

See how the light lays upon things, illuminating them.

Now bring your awareness to your breath…what is it like?

Did you take a nice inhale as soon as you focused on your breathing?

Pay close attention to how your lungs expand and contract with your breath.

It’s a very natural and gentle sensation.

Notice also how your belly expands and contracts easily as you breathe.

Allow the breath to relax you.

In and out…..

Breathing at your own pace

Expand and contract….

Refresh and relax…..

Inhale and exhale…..

Take a deep breath in and hold it for a few seconds at the top and then when you’re ready…exhale and relax.

Take another deep breath, as deep as you can, and hold it again…for a few seconds…and when you are ready to exhale just imagine blowing out all of your stress….take a third deep breath and hold it….and as you exhale you blow out all the stress you’ve been holding on to. 

Whenever you feel overwhelmed, you can try taking in 3 full and deep breaths, holding at the top for a few seconds, and when you exhale, blow out any tension or strain that you have been holding on to.

From now on you choose to be relaxed.

You choose to be calm.

Inhale and exhale…

Whenever you are presented with feelings of stress, know your breath is there to soothe you and guide you into relaxation.

Breathing in and out.

Every single day, becoming more aware of all the good things going on in your community, and in the world around you.

In and out.

Refresh and relax…..

Thank you.

Dr. Jennifer McManus is a licensed psychologist who helps people with stress reduction. She regularly integrates the practices of mindfulness and deep, calming breathing into her therapeutic work with psychotherapy clients. If you think you may benefit from personalized and professional help with stress management, then please feel free to contact the psychotherapy practice of Dr. Jennifer McManus to learn more about available support. You can schedule a complimentary consultation, email, or call the office at 866-706-3665.