There are many types of relaxation, including breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, visualisation, meditation, mindfulness, and gentle physical activities such as yoga and Tai Chi.

And the good news is, many of these techniques can be practised almost anywhere and at little or no cost. Learning to relax can take a bit of practise but the more you practise the more helpful the relaxation technique will be.

Below are some downloadable MP3 files to help get you started. You can save these on your phone or computer to use at any time. Find more relaxation strategies and stress-busting tips on Personal best. Home Learn about mental health Relaxation exercises.

Mental Well-Being. Anxiety Exercises to Help You Relax. Medically reviewed by Timothy J. Legg, PhD, PsyD — By Erica Cirino — Updated on February 11, Exercises Breathe Visualization Muscle tension Counting Mindfulness Thought cycle Takeaway Overview.

Exercises for anxiety. Relax by breathing. Online meditation options Read our review of the best online meditation options to find the right fit for you. Was this helpful? Relax by visualizing. Relax your muscles.

Relax by counting. Relax by staying present. Relax by interrupting your anxious thinking. The takeaway. How we reviewed this article: Sources. Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations.

We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. Feb 11, Written By Erica Cirino. Sep 28, Medically Reviewed By Timothy J. Legg, PhD, PsyD. Share this article.

Read this next. READ MORE. Is There a Link Between Long COVID and Anxiety? Medically reviewed by Francis Kuehnle, MSN, RN-BC. Medications for Pre-Surgery Anxiety: What to Know If the anxiety of an upcoming surgery is disrupting your sleep and day-to-day life, it may be time to talk with your doctor about medications.

Medically reviewed by Jennifer Archibald, DDS. How the 'Shadow Work' TikTok Trend Can Help Your Mental Health Shadow work is a concept developed by Swiss psychoanalysis Carl Jung in the 20th century. As a result, the muscles become tense, and breathing becomes shallow.

Anxiety exercises can help reduce the symptoms of a panic attack or generalized anxiety. For example, slow breathing techniques can increase feelings of comfort and relaxation while reducing anxiety, depression, and confusion.

Slow-paced breathing exercises help loosen muscles, slow heart rate, and normalize breathing, allowing individuals to control their symptoms. Individuals can use the following anxiety exercises to reduce feelings of stress, anxiety, and panic.

Alternate nostril breathing, known as Nadi Shodhana, is a yoga breathing technique that can lower blood pressure and improve attention. An individual blocks off one nostril while breathing through the other, then switches to exhale through the other nostril. Pursed lip breathing helps an individual breathe slowly, deeply, and more intentionally.

It is a simple breathing technique that helps make deep breaths slower and more intentional. People living with lung conditions such as emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD use this technique to control shortness of breath and ease anxiety.

Also called coherent breathing, this technique can help reduce anxiety and allow a person to enter a more relaxed state. Although resonance frequency breathing rate varies among individuals, the typical range is 4.

Individuals can use this simple breathing exercise while standing, sitting, or lying down. However, people should also consider adding it to their daily routine to get the most benefit.

A study found that progressive muscle relaxation can significantly reduce anxiety levels and sleep quality in individuals with COVID These exercises involve focusing on tensing and relaxing all of the muscle groups — such as the chest, back, arms, abdominals, legs, and shoulders — one at a time.

Doctors typically treat anxiety with psychological therapy, medications, or a combination of both. People living with anxiety disorders may benefit from supportive talks and education about the condition. In addition, doctors may recommend cognitive behavioral therapy CBT because numerous studies show that it is an effective treatment option for anxiety disorders.

CBT aims to reduce anxiety symptoms by identifying and changing how the individual thinks and behaves. Doctors often first recommend selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors SSRIs and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors SNRIs.

However, individuals must understand that these antidepressant medications may take several weeks to produce positive changes. Additionally, these medications can cause adverse effects, such as increased anxiety symptoms and jitteriness, particularly when a person first starts taking them.

Learn more about treatments for anxiety. Natural herbs and alternate medications may also work for some people. Learn about these therapies. Although most people feel anxiety and worry from time to time, it is important to talk with a doctor if anxiety is affecting daily life or causing distress.

We can't avoid all sources of stress in our lives, nor would we want to. But we can develop healthier ways of responding to them. One way is to invoke the "relaxation response," through a technique first developed in the s at Harvard Medical School by cardiologist Dr.

Herbert Benson, editor of the Harvard Medical School Special Health Report Stress Management: Approaches for preventing and reducing stress. The relaxation response is the opposite of the stress response.

It's a state of profound rest that can be elicited in many ways. With regular practice, you create a well of calm to dip into as the need arises.

Following are six relaxation techniques that can help you evoke the relaxation response and reduce stress. Breath focus. In this simple, powerful technique, you take long, slow, deep breaths also known as abdominal or belly breathing.

As you breathe, you gently disengage your mind from distracting thoughts and sensations. Breath focus can be especially helpful for people with eating disorders to help them focus on their bodies in a more positive way.

However, this technique may not be appropriate for those with health problems that make breathing difficult, such as respiratory ailments or heart failure. Body scan. This technique blends breath focus with progressive muscle relaxation. After a few minutes of deep breathing, you focus on one part of the body or group of muscles at a time and mentally releasing any physical tension you feel there.

A body scan can help boost your awareness of the mind-body connection. If you have had a recent surgery that affects your body image or other difficulties with body image, this technique may be less helpful for you.

Guided imagery. For this technique, you conjure up soothing scenes, places, or experiences in your mind to help you relax and focus. You can find free apps and online recordings of calming scenes—just make sure to choose imagery you find soothing and that has personal significance.

This is what recent research summarised by Psychology Today in the industry has discovered. As a breathing technique, it means exhaling out for longer than you inhale.

This technique, which can be done stood up, lying down or sitting, can help to keep those overwhelming feelings at bay. You could try this one with your children, helping them to become more aware of their breathing and less worried about the world around them.

Many of the breathing exercises above have benefits that have been extensively researched. The science behind why they work revolves around the vagus nerve, which is a part of your brain that is activated when you breathe deeply.

The vagus nerve oversees your mood, digestion and heart rate. Tailored breathing exercises like these stimulate your vagus nerve, helping us respond better to stress and anxiety. Stress and anxiety are a normal part of everyday life. They can contextualise your symptoms, offer a diagnosis and outline treatment options.

Talking therapy is an effective means of treating mental health conditions like anxiety disorders, helping you to better understanding the underlying causes of your stress and how to cope with symptoms. You could also reach out for anxiety treatment at Priory.

We are an industry-leading provider of care for people with mental health conditions like anxiety, at world-class facilities across the UK. Use the information below to get in touch with Priory and see how we can help you get back control of your life. Get in touch with Priory by calling for a compassionate chat about the difficulties you've been experiencing and how our treatment can put you on the road to recovery.

Alternatively, make an enquiry via email and our team will be in touch soon. Breathing Exercises for Anxiety. Additional Information .

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Research published in Frontiers in Psychology said it can reduce negative subjective and physiological consequences of stress in healthy adults. Resonance breathing, or coherent breathing, is another great way to reduce anxiety, respond positively to stress and bring about a more relaxed self.

To start resonance breathing, lie down flat and close your eyes. Evidence shows that resonance breathing can have positive effects on a wide range of anxiety, stress and mood related modifiers. Research from Brigham Young University showed positive outcomes for heart rate variability, reduced blood pressure response to stress, and a more positive mood.

Longer exhalations can help you to combat your fight-or-flight stress response and improve your heart rate variability — which over time can help us to deal better with stress.

This is what recent research summarised by Psychology Today in the industry has discovered. As a breathing technique, it means exhaling out for longer than you inhale. This technique, which can be done stood up, lying down or sitting, can help to keep those overwhelming feelings at bay.

You could try this one with your children, helping them to become more aware of their breathing and less worried about the world around them. Many of the breathing exercises above have benefits that have been extensively researched.

The science behind why they work revolves around the vagus nerve, which is a part of your brain that is activated when you breathe deeply. The vagus nerve oversees your mood, digestion and heart rate. Tailored breathing exercises like these stimulate your vagus nerve, helping us respond better to stress and anxiety.

Stress and anxiety are a normal part of everyday life. They can contextualise your symptoms, offer a diagnosis and outline treatment options.

Talking therapy is an effective means of treating mental health conditions like anxiety disorders, helping you to better understanding the underlying causes of your stress and how to cope with symptoms. You could also reach out for anxiety treatment at Priory. We are an industry-leading provider of care for people with mental health conditions like anxiety, at world-class facilities across the UK.

Use the information below to get in touch with Priory and see how we can help you get back control of your life. Get in touch with Priory by calling for a compassionate chat about the difficulties you've been experiencing and how our treatment can put you on the road to recovery.

Alternatively, make an enquiry via email and our team will be in touch soon. Breathing Exercises for Anxiety. Additional Information . Home Blog Breathing Exercises for Anxiety. Watch: breathing exercises for anxiety.

When to Seek Professional Help for Anxiety. Get in Touch Today. Contact Us. You will get the most benefit if you do it regularly, as part of your daily routine. You can do it standing up, sitting in a chair that supports your back, or lying on a bed or yoga mat on the floor.

Make yourself as comfortable as you can. If you can, loosen any clothes that restrict your breathing. If you're lying down, place your arms a little bit away from your sides, with the palms up.

Let your legs be straight, or bend your knees so your feet are flat on the floor. If you're sitting or standing, place both feet flat on the ground. Whatever position you're in, place your feet roughly hip-width apart.

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