3. Breathing Exercises for Stress Relief
When you’re experiencing stress, meditation and breathing are a powerful way to lower anxiety levels. Studies show that a few minutes of mindful breathing techniques can cause a near-instant change in the level of stress experienced. These breathing exercises for stress relief are a great tool because they’re free and don’t require any supplies. Mindful breathing is closely tied to meditation and is a great way to get stress relief in the office.
To get started, follow along with the step by step breathing techniques that you’ll see below.
Mindful Breathing
- Sit up straight but not stiff, close your eyes and breathe at a normal pace.
- At the end of your exhale, count 1 to yourself.
- After the next exhale, count 2.
- Follow this pattern up to a count of 5, and then start over at 1.
- Repeat for 5 minutes or so.
Throughout this stress relief exercise, try not to engage with any other thoughts that might pop up in your mind. You’ll notice you’re distracted when you’ve been breathing without counting, or when you notice you’ve counted past 5.
Belly Breathing
Belly breathing is helpful for calming anxiety and supporting stress management in the office. By expanding the belly, you allow deeper breaths to happen, to ensure you’re not just breathing into the top of your lungs.
- Rest one hand on your belly at your navel.
- As you inhale, breathe down deep and push your belly out so you feel your hand rising with your breath as it rests on your belly.
- On the exhale, allow your belly to relax.
- Repeat for 5 breaths.
4x4x4 Breaths
This breathing exercise for stress relief creates a rhythm that can be a helpful reminder to the body to take deeper breaths.
- Inhale for a count of 4.
- Hold the breath for 4.
- Then exhale to a count of 4.
- Repeat for 5-10 cycles.
- You can try to increase your counts up to 7, as long as your inhale and exhale are even.
Alternate Nostril Breathing
This breath practice is just what it sounds like! Alternate your inhalations and exhalations through each nostril. You’ll inhale and exhale through one nostril for one full breath, while closing the other nostril. Then, switch to the other side.
- Sit up straight in a comfortable position.
- Close your right nostril with your right thumb.
- Slowly inhale and then exhale through the left nostril.
- At the bottom of the exhale, close off the left nostril with your ring finger, while releasing your thumb from the right nostril.
- Now inhale and exhale through the right nostril.
- Repeat for 5-10 cycles.
4 . Massage Wellness Programs
Massages are a great way to de-stress at work! The benefits of massage are far reaching for employees and employers alike. Massage wellness programs mean that a massage practitioner (or two, or three, or however many you’d like!) will visit your workplace, and give 10-30 minute chair massages to employees. These programs see a dramatic drop in stress levels among employees, with regular sessions!
Work is often cited as the #1 biggest stressor in people’s lives. So it’s no wonder that finding ways to reduce workplace stress is top-of-mind for most HR professionals.