Breathing Technique for Anxiety
You have probably thought about how to reduce stress in your life. You know your muscle tension, mental health, and how little you pay attention to the life around you. You may have considered physical activity or mindfulness. If you're considering trying mindfulness but need help figuring out where to start, the 4-7-8 Breathing technique is a simple, effective way to begin. This technique has been shown to offer numerous benefits, including increased self-awareness, decreased stress and blood pressure, and improved sleep quality.
The Science - Box breathing vs 4-7-8
How you breathe can directly impact how you feel. When we are born, we naturally inhale deeply from our bellies, but as time passes, many of us begin to breathe from our chest, causing us to breathe less deeply. What comes to mind when someone is panicking? Often, it is a rapid, shallow breath from the chest, often referred to as hyperventilating. Research shows that inhaling quickly and exhaling slowly was consistently effective for reducing physiological and psychological arousal, making 4-7-8 effective (Cappo & Holmes, 1984). Instead of our current mental state impacting how we breathe, we can take the reins, using our breath to change how we feel.
The 4-7-8 technique, also known as “relaxing breath,” has ancient roots in pranayama, the yogic practice of breath regulation (Rogers, 2022). This technique acts on the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS), which controls heart rate and respiration, among other bodily functions (Nazish, 2019). The ANS has two main branches – the Sympathetic Nervous System and the Parasympathetic Nervous System. The Sympathetic Nervous System is responsible for the fight-or-flight response, which prepares our body to respond to danger. The Parasympathetic Nervous System calms the body by decreasing heart rate, slowing respiration, and reducing cortisol levels, among other functions (NCCIH, 2022). The 4-7-8 technique utilizes slow, deep breaths from the belly that engage the Parasympathetic Nervous System, thus telling the brain that we are not in danger. A variation on this technique is called box breathing, where one breathes into a count of four and breathes out to a count of four, with holds of four between the in- and out-breathes. Box breathing is based on the same principles as the 4-7-8 technique and is used by divers to reduce their heart rate and Navy Seals during high stress to induce calm and focus.
Is 4-7-8 breathing dangerous?
You may be wondering how to do the 4-7-8 Breathing technique. However, there is one safety note to remember before you begin. Normal breathing has an equal balance of bringing in oxygen and sending out carbon dioxide. This technique rapidly lowers the amount of carbon dioxide in the body. This lowering of carbon dioxide leads to the narrowing of the blood vessels that bring blood to the brain, which can cause lightheadedness (Rogers, 2022). For this reason, it is recommended that you start slowly and only do a few cycles of the technique until you become more familiar with it. Follow these steps to do 4-7-8 Breathing:
1. Breathe in through your nose into your belly for a count of 4, allowing your belly to rise
2. Hold this breath for a count of 7
3. Breathe out through your mouth slowly for a count of 8, making a “whooshing” sound and allowing your belly to fall naturally (don’t force it)
Repeat these steps four to eight times to keep a steady tempo. Practicing this technique daily or twice daily may help you become familiar with it so that when you need relief, you are already comfortable utilizing it. If you prefer learning through a video, this may be a helpful link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N02BnHwS5FE.
To do the 4-7-8 Breathing technique, inhale for four seconds, hold your breath for seven seconds, and exhale for eight seconds. Remember that normal breathing has an equal balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide, and this technique rapidly lowers the amount of carbon dioxide in the body.
References
Cappo, B. M., & Holmes, D. S. (1984). The utility of prolonged respiratory exhalation for reducing physiological and psychological arousal in non-threatening and threatening situations. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 28(4), 265– 273. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3999(84)90048-5
Collevecchio, A. (2019, June 4). 4-7-8 Breathing: How To, Benefits, and Real Life Uses. Chill Chief. https://chillchief.com/4-7-8-breath-for-anxiety/
Shanagher, L. (2017). 4-7-8 Breathing exercise for sleeping - Sky Like Mind [Video]. Creative Mindfulness Animation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N02BnHwS5FE
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. (2022, June). Meditation and Mindfulness: What You Need To Know. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/meditation-and-mindfulness-what-you-need-to-know
Rogers, K. (2022, September 20). The 4-7-8 method could help you sleep. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/16/health/4-7-8-breathing-technique-relaxing-wellness