American Heart Association Stress Management
Manage Stress and Manage Your Health
Questions and Answers: Tips to Stress Less
Everyone feels and reacts to stress in different ways. How much stress you experience and how you react to it can lead to a wide variety of health problems.
Everyone experiences stress at one time or another, and stress affects all of us in different ways. But this much is true for everyone: Regular exercise reduces the harmful effects of stress.
Getting out of our own heads and connecting with the world around us can be an effective stress-buster.
Yes, especially if your “stressed out” feeling remains constant, or chronic. Chronic stress can affect your physical and mental health. It can weaken your immune system and cause physical symptoms too.
Deep Breathing: Benefits and Techniques
Your breathing directly affects your nervous and cardiovascular systems. Taking slow, deep breaths can trigger positive responses in your body, including:
- Stabilizing or lowering blood pressure
- Creating and maintaining a sense of calm
- Lessening stress for improved mental health
- Reducing anxiety and depression symptom
4-7-8 Breathing
Inhale through your notes for four counts, then hold that breath for seven counts. Then exhale through your mouth (slowly) for eight counts.
Note: If you are trying these deep breathing techniques for the first time, it’s not recommended to practice these approaches for more than three to five cycles at once. Stop any technique if you feel dizzy or light-headed.
Pursed-lip Breathing
Inhale, then exhale through your mouth with pursed lips at a rate two to four times slower than your inhale.
Note: If you are trying these deep breathing techniques for the first time, it’s not recommended to practice these approaches for more than three to five cycles at once. Stop any technique if you feel dizzy or light-headed.
Box Breathing
Inhale through your nose for four counts, then hold your breath for four more. Next, exhale for four counts, then wait for four counts before inhaling and restarting the 4 x 4 x 4 x 4 sequence.
Note: If you are trying these deep breathing techniques for the first time, it’s not recommended to practice these approaches for more than three to five cycles at once. Stop any technique if you feel dizzy or light-headed.
Diaphragmatic Breathing
Place both hands on your abdomen, then inhale deeply through your nose. Let your abdomen balloon out, and then exhale through your mouth.
Note: If you are trying these deep breathing techniques for the first time, it’s not recommended to practice these approaches for more than three to five cycles at once. Stop any technique if you feel dizzy or light-headed.
Download our easily shared one-pager on the surprising benefits of deep, controlled breathing. Get the Breathing Brings Benefits (PDF)
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Stress Management Tip Sheets
