Box Breathing Technique:
Box breathing technique can be used to help relax the body and mind quickly, yet effectively. This relaxation technique is designed to induce a sense of calm and serenity within practitioners. Also known as square breathing, this technique is used for different purposes. Oftentimes, in practices such as meditation, yoga or to help reduce symptoms of stress.
In fact, there are many different types of breathing techniques. Breathing techniques like yogic breathing has been studied to help balance the autonomic nervous system and influence psychological and stress related disorders. Breathing techniques have even been used to decrease symptoms of stress and anxiety for pre-term women in labor. Thus, reporting that abdominal breathing is an effective nursing intervention for these women!
Breathing in of itself is an involuntary mechanism of the body. However there is also a voluntary aspect to it. Box breathing, deep breathing and other types of breathing techniques allow individuals to manipulate there breathing efforts. Hence, in a way, to achieve a goal. In this case the goal is usually to focus and calm the body and mind.
Breathing techniques like diaphragmatic breathing have shown the ability to help significantly increase sustained attention, and lower cortisol levels, post intensive training activity.
Times For Box Breathing:
In practices such as meditation, breath becomes somewhat of an art. It is used to help focus and stabilized the self. Individuals involved in the medical field can relate. First responders, as well as even Navy Seal’s, use box breathing to help stay calm and focused in times of heightened stressful situations. However, this breathing technique can truly be used anytime and anywhere, by anyone.
Some people refer to box breathing as a way of “resetting your breath”. Particularly, slowing the breath in an effort to calm the self, and deepen concentration. This is an apt description. When you’re under pressure, it can feel like you’re on the brink of physical collapse at times. Oftentimes, this is when your body goes into fight or flight mode. Your chest tightens, and you feel like you cannot breathe properly. Box breathing lowers this uncomfortable feeling and keeps you focused; able to better complete complex tasks at hand.
Exploring the Box Breathing Technique:
You might be wondering, what exactly is the box breathing method and how can you practice it effectively? In the following section, we will delve into the steps required to master box breathing. While we’ll focus on the ‘ideal’ settings for this technique, it’s worth noting that with enough practice, box breathing can be adapted to less than perfect environments as well.
| Step | Action | Duration | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Inhale | 4 seconds | Breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose, filling your lungs completely. |
| 2 | Hold | 4 seconds | Hold your breath and try to avoid inhaling or exhaling for a short period. |
| 3 | Exhale | 4 seconds | Slowly exhale through your mouth, emptying your lungs completely. |
| 4 | Hold | 4 seconds | Hold your breath again, this time after exhaling, and try to avoid inhaling for a short period. |
| Repeat | Return to Step 1 | As desired | Repeat this cycle for a few minutes or until you feel more relaxed and centered. |
Why Is Box Breathing So Effective?
Breath plays a crucial role in relaxation and is a fundamental element in various techniques designed to alleviate stress and anxiety. In simple terms, when your breathing is erratic or uneven, it becomes significantly more challenging to stay calm, particularly in stressful situations. This is most evident when you find yourself in a state of stress, commonly referred to as the ‘fight or flight’ response.
During such moments, you may notice an increase in heart rate, muscle tension, and a change in your breathing pattern, which often becomes shallow and rapid. It might even feel like you’re struggling to catch your breath. While this reaction is a normal and sometimes necessary response of the body in certain situations, it can be an overreaction in everyday scenarios, potentially leading to both short-term and long-term health issues.
The first step in regaining composure and reducing stress during these fight or flight moments is through basic breathing techniques. Mastering box breathing can help you regain control over your breath, and subsequently, the rest of your body will start to relax and respond positively. Once you have your breathing under control, you’ll find it easier to navigate through and manage stressful situations.
Exploring the Benefits of Box Breathing:
Mitigating the Physical Impact of Stress on the Body
A major concern with chronic stress is the toll it takes on your physical health. Prolonged periods of unmanaged stress can lead to significant health problems. Research has consistently demonstrated that individuals experiencing high levels of stress are at an increased risk of heart attacks and other chronic diseases.
By adopting practices like box breathing, or engaging in other stress-relief activities, you can significantly reduce the physical effects of stress on your body. Box breathing, in particular, is an effective method for managing stress. It works by resetting your breathing pattern, which in turn helps to alleviate bodily stress. This practice not only aids in reducing the immediate physical symptoms of stress but also assists in bringing your body’s stress response back to a more balanced state more swiftly.
Even in a 1-day retreat to reduce burnout pilot study among mental health professionals, showed that 6-weeks post intervention the staff reported a decrease in emotional exhaustion, and increases in positive views towards consumers. This was not specific to the “box breathing technique”, but it showed that there are interventions that can help when it comes to stress and burnout.
You Become More Focused And Sharp
Not only may box breathing get you out of fight or flight mode faster, but it also keeps you sharp and focused. After dealing with anxiety and stress, we tend to feel worn down and out of sorts.
It can even effect ability to retrieve memory. Furthermore, even “hampering the updating of memories in the light of new information” in children in the classroom setting. It is known that chronic stress, can inhibit the brains ability to form memories.
Sustained attention may be improved by proper diaphragmatic breathing techniques. According to another study on mindfulness and breath counting found that this technique was correlated to some extent to better focus (“more meta awareness, less mind wondering”) and a more positive outlook (better mood”).
Your Mood Gets A Boost
In addition to a heightened focus, decreased overall stress symptoms, and calm sense about you, the cumulative effect can have you feeling better overall. Several studies have shown the ability of slow controlled breathing exercises to increase the work of the parasympathetic nervous system, measured by decreases in both blood pressure and heart rate.
Some research has shown that this relaxing breathing technique can even quell symptoms of depression.
You Will Cope Better With Stress
The way we respond to stress is largely a learned behavior. While it may not be possible to entirely eliminate stressors from our lives, implementing techniques such as box breathing, coupled with patience, can significantly mitigate their impact.
We often find ourselves in complex or stressful situations. In these moments, the way we cope can profoundly influence both our physical and mental well-being. Often, we cannot change the stressful circumstances that arise, making it crucial to equip ourselves with effective coping strategies. By understanding and practicing methods like box breathing, we can better navigate these challenges and reduce their adverse effects.
A research study on “learning and memory under stress” states that, potential stressful situations do not necessarily lead to stress response, it’s the individual appraisal of the situation and coping strategies that may result in the activation of the stress systems”.
With box breathing, you may be able to change your behavior as far as how your body reacts to stressful situations.
Final Thoughts!
With the insights provided here, you’re now equipped to transform how you handle stress and begin practicing box breathing effectively!
We’d love to hear about your experiences with box breathing and other stress-relief techniques. Please feel free to share your stories in the comments section of our blog. Wishing you a wonderful day ahead!
References:
- https://www.healthline.com/health/box-breathing#getting-started
- https://www.verywellmind.com/the-benefits-and-steps-of-box-breathing-4159900
- https://weareunsinkable.com/what-works/box-breathing/
- https://time.com/4316151/breathing-technique-navy-seal-calm-focused/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5455070/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21285102/
- https://www.nature.com/articles/npjscilearn201611
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16131297/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20634635/
- https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/52158/how-stress-affects-your-memory
- https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01202/full
