If we want to be healthy and happy then we should live our lives without stress.But, is this possible? Yes it is, in this article we will present you five simple breathing exercises that will help to lower stress levels, and all of these can be practiced at home or in the office.

Stomach breathing

The first think that you should learn is stomach breathing. This exercise is the base of all breathing methods and therefore is very important to master this one before you move on the others.

1. Sit in a comfortable position, or you can also lie down on a yoga mat.

2. Place one of your hands on your belly, below the ribcage. The other hand should be placed over your chest.

3. Take a deep breathe through your nostril. The first hand should be pushed on the side of your stomach and the chest should stay stationary.

4.Breathe through your lips, just like you are going to whistle. Then guide the hand towards the inside of your stomach. This will help you to press out your breath.

5.Slowly repeat between 3 and 10 times.

You need to repeat the exercise two or tree times and you will fell relaxed. When you master this exercise, then  you may try the other ones.

4-7-8 Breathing

For performing this 4-7-8 Breathing Exercise you need to sit down or lie down on the floor. Here are the steps that you need to follow:

1.For this exercises you should get the same position as you did for the Belly Breathing exercise, place one hand on the stomach and the other hand on your chest.

2. Slowly take a deep breath. You need only four seconds to breathe in and feel your belly moving.

3.Hold your breath for seven seconds.

4. Breathe out as silently as you can manage. When you count to eight the air should be out of your lungs.

5. Repeat as many times as you need and remember to use the 4-7-8- pattern.

Roll breathing

If you are looking for an exercise that you can do in sitting position, then you should try this method. The main purpose besides relaxing is to use full lung capacity.If you are beginner it is recommended to lie down, but it will be easy for you once you make the exercise for the first time.

Follow these steps:

1. Place the left hand on the stomach and the right hand on your chest. Your hands should move as you inhale and exhale.

2. Breathe slowly and deeply from the lower lungs. Don`t move the hand that is over your chest. Make sure to use your nose for breathing in and your mouth for exhaling.

3. You need to repeat this up to eight times. Then take a breath that will move your chest, just like you would breathe normally. This will fill your entire lung capacity.

4. Now gently exhale through your mouth, and empty your lungs. Make a whooshing noise while you exhale. You will notice that your both hands will move towards your body, as your chest and stomach fall.

5. You need to try and do this exercise four or five times. While exhaling you will feel difference in your stress levels.

Morning breathing

It is important to know that you can do the first three exercises in any time of the day, but this exercise should be performed in the morning, when you wake up. It will relax your muscles after your sleep and it will also help you to minimize tension for the rest of the day. It will relax your muscles and you could kick start your new day.

1.Stand up straight and slightly bend your knees.Slowly bend your upper body forward from your waist. Your arms should be hanging close to the floor, limply.

2. Slowly breathe and return to the first position. The last thing that you need to straighten up is your head.

3.Slowly exhale and once again bend your upper body. You should reach the position with this last breath. Then stand up and stretch your muscles if needed.

Stomach breathing and deep muscle relaxation

This is the last exercise and it is time-consuming. It is ideal to combine this exercise with the Belly Breathing exercise. You will exercise different major muscles but also consider the other muscles which cause you pain and discomfort. First of all, it is important to sit in a very comfortable position and concentrate on the stomach breathing. Then you need to close your eyes and to follow these steps:

1.To relax your face,  you should knit your eyebrows together and and then release.

2.To relax your neck, you need to tilt your head down towards your neck, and push your chin to your chest,and then release.

3.To relax your shoulders, you should make a shrugging motion, and then release.

4.To relax your arms, you need to push the both arms away from your torso, stretch them out, and then relax them by your side.

5.To relax your legs, you should point your toes as far away as you can and then release.

All of these stretches should be performed at the same time as the Belly Breathing that we showed you earlier. You need to take deep and long breaths every time you stretch.

source:http://justnaturallyhealthy.com/