How to relieve stress through slow paced breathing

Slow paced breathing is used to cope with high stress events. It is a quick-fix that can be done in any situation. This tutorial will show you the fundamentals.

If you’re looking for a stronger, longer lasting effect, have a look at the Cardiac Coherence breathing exercise.

Disclaimer: Slow paced breathing is NOT a therapy! It is just a breathing exercise that can be beneficial, is easy to use, and free of charge.

Consult with a medical professional before using Breath Ball and/or slow paced breathing.

You are using Breath Ball and this tutorial at your sole responsibility.

Use Breath Ball to get the best results from this tutorial. You can download it free of charge at:

How to do slow paced breathing to copy with stress:

For best results, launch Breath Ball and start the slow paced breathing exercise. You’ll see something similar to this animation:

Now breathe in the rhythm of the Breath Ball:

  1. Inhale for four seconds through your nose into your belly.
  2. Exhale for six seconds.
  3. Repeat for 10 minutes.
    Please note:
    • Breathe into your belly to achieve the best effect.
    • The duration of the breathing session is important. Longer sessions lead to the better results. Exercise for at least 10 minutes.

How does it work?

Have you ever witnessed a smoker? They tend to quickly inhale from a cigarette before blowing the smoke out slowly. When they do, they often appear visibly relaxed. The same kind of instant relaxation happens when you do the slow paced breathing.

Want to quit smoking? Thy this:

What smokers ironically don’t know is that the relaxing effect of the slow exhalation works even without a cigarette. If you’re a smoker, give it a try: Next time you want to light a cigarette, take a quick deep breath and exhale slowly. Do it three to five times in a row and postpone the cigarette until the craving comes back. Then repeat.

It helps if you keep your mind occupied to delay the craving. Try reading, playing video games or do whatever else you enjoy that keeps your mind busy.

Positive side effects of slow paced breathing

Regular practice of slow paced breathing is highly effective to prevent and relieve stress. Studies have shown that stress symptoms receded and sleep difficulties decreased. Regular practice increases your ability to concentrate and even a single session can causes an immediate improvement of quality of life.

Credits

This tutorial is a simplified summary of Prof. Dr. Thomas Loew’s book Langsamer atmen, besser leben. The book provides an in depth overview of the scientific research done in the field of slow paced breathing, its effects and use cases. If you understand German, this is the book you want to read.

Has slow paced breathing helped to cope with stress?

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If you haven’t downloaded Breath Ball yet, now is a good time to do so. You can find it free of charge at: