We’re rarely aware of it, but our breathing has a big impact on our well-being. When we’re stressed, we tend to breathe faster, more shallowly, and more frequently. This can lead to a range of vague and unclear complaints.
Inhale, exhale. Breathing doesn’t seem so hard, right? Yet many people unconsciously hold their breath in stressful situations.
You can easily recognize unhealthy breathing patterns:
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You regularly breathe through your mouth, yawn often, feel dizzy at times, or have irregular breathing.
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You breathe shallowly (not from the belly), breathe quickly or noisily, and often feel “air hunger” — even if you’re breathing deeply and frequently.
How can you learn to breathe better?
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Keep your mouth closed. If breathing through your nose feels uncomfortable, it’s not a permanent problem but a negative cycle you can break. The nose opens up naturally when you consistently breathe through it. That feeling of air shortage is your breathing center resetting itself. Your body needs to adjust to less breathing. After 2–3 days, it will start to feel natural.
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Breathe from your belly. Many people breathe from their chest instead of the diaphragm. Chest breathing uses more energy because it requires muscle effort for both inhaling and exhaling. Belly breathing naturally calms you down, reduces stress, and is the body’s natural way of breathing.
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Breathe in a relaxed rhythm. Especially when you’re tense, try to follow a breathing rhythm: inhale for 3 seconds, hold for 1 second, exhale for 4 seconds. Pause until your body naturally wants to inhale again.