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When we experience prolonged stress, our breathing patterns often change in unhelpful ways. Instead of breathing slowly from our lower lungs, we tend to breathe rapidly and shallowly from our upper lungs. This in turn, leaves us feeling anxious, short of breath, and less sharp mentally. We might also feel pressure in our chest, a lump in our throat, or tingling or numbness in our hands or feet.

Fortunately, by simply changing how we breathe during difficult times, we can significantly reduce uncomfortable symptoms and be in a better position to problem-solve our challenging situations effectively. So what is the best way to breathe when we are stressed? The answer is diaphragmatic breathing.

Diaphragmatic breathing

Diaphragmatic breathing (also known as abdominal breathing, belly breathing, or deep breathing) was developed in yogic traditions. It involves (a) slowing down the breath, and (b) expansion of the abdomen, rather than the chest.

The diaphragm is the most efficient muscle for breathing. It is a large, dome-shaped muscle located at the base of the lungs (shown in the image below).

Diaphragmatic breathing has been shown to significantly reduce emotional arousal, lower anxiety, decrease the concentration of circulating stress hormones, and improve cognitive performance (Ma et al., 2017). Researchers have also found it to be helpful at reducing aggressive behavior, decreasing fatigue, preventing migraines, and alleviating hypertension (Varvogli & Darviri, 2011).

Instructions for diaphragmatic breathing

1. Place your left hand on your upper chest and your right hand on your abdomen. This will allow you to feel your diaphragm move as you breathe.
2. Breathe in slowly through your nose/mouth so that your abdomen moves out against your right hand. Your left hand on your chest should remain relatively still.
3. Next, tighten your stomach muscles, letting the abdomen fall inward as you exhale. Once again, your left hand on your upper chest should remain relatively still.

Repeat slowly. Although diaphragmatic breathing involves manipulation of breath movement, don’t overdo it! If you start to feel uncomfortable in any way (e.g., anxious, dizzy, lightheaded, faint, nauseous), allow your breathing pattern to return to normal for a time. Then begin again, this time less intensely.

When you first learn the diaphragmatic breathing technique, it may be easier for you to follow the instructions lying down, as shown below. As you gain more practice, you can try the diaphragmatic breathing technique while sitting in a chair. Practice this exercise for 1-5 minutes several times per day. Once mastered, the sitting version of this exercise can be performed nearly anywhere.