Deep Breathing

Stress can be caused by lack of oxygen in your bloodstream and in order to increase oxygen in your bloodstream you must breathe deeply. Breathing helps you inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. Our breathing tends to get shallower as we get older and we start breathing from our chest instead of our abdomen. When we breathe from our abdomen, we inhale about a quart of oxygen versus only a small cup when we breathe from our chest. Obviously the more, the better. Breathing through your abdomen allows your brain to produces slower brain waves which are like the ones your brain produces when you are relaxed and calm. When breathing, it is essential to breathe through your nose and not your mouth because your nose warms the air, filters it, add moisture to it, and lets you breathe in more of it. Here is one of many example breathing exercises that will relieve your stress:

Exercise
Count very slowly to yourself. Count from
10 down to 0. With the first abdominal breath, say 10 to yourself; with the next breathe, say 9, and so on. If you start feeling light-headed or dizzy, slow down the counting. When you get to 0, see how you are feeling. If you are feeling better,great! If not, try doing it again.

For more information on how breathing relieves your stress or for more breathing exercises, visit this website: http://patienteducation.upmc.com/Pdf/CopingWithStress.pdf