Experiencing trouble breathing is one of the most uncomfortable health issues one can experience. Abnormal breathing will make you feel difficulty, as if you are not can’t draw a complete breath. Such breathing problems can develop gradually or come on suddenly. There is no one sole reason for everyone’s problem with breathing. It can be a result of stress and anxiety or a sign of a serious health issue. One of the most practical solutions to abnormal breathing patterns is paying more attention to how you breathe basically. 

Proper breathing can already help you achieve better health. What more if you manipulate your breath even better, right? That’s why you should learn about different breathwork techniques. While focusing on your breath seemed like a really simple solution, you must remember that breathing is the reason why we are all alive. It is a sign that we are living, so you must not doubt the power of breathwork. Learn how to avoid experiencing a very tight chest or feeling breathless or suffocating here and discover the breathwork for breath. 

What Proper Breathing Feels Like?

You will know that you are breathing properly and effectively if you experience that your breath is smooth, controlled, and steady. Also, you should feel relaxed because you are getting the amount of air you need without being strained. Breathing should feel easy and effortless. If not, and you are experiencing the opposite, you should start learning some breathwork exercises that can help you manage and solve your breathing problems better. Ultimately, there’s no need to hesitate because beneficial breathwork exercises are not complicated to learn and will not take a lot of time out of your day. 

Breathwork Exercises for Breathing Problems

Learning breathwork exercises will never let you go wrong because of how beneficial they can help your body and mind. Here are a few breathwork exercise ideas to help you get started. 

Deep breathing

Deep breathing is a simple breathwork exercise that can help relieve shortness of breath and abnormal breathing. This exercise involves preventing the air from getting trapped in your lungs. That way, you can always breathe fresher air, allowing you to feel more relaxed without experiencing any breathing problems. 

How to practice deep breathing:

• Get in your comfortable position, it can be sitting or standing. 
• Draw your elbows back slightly, allowing your chest to expand. 
• Inhale deeply through your nose. 
• Hold your breath for about five seconds. 
• Slowly release your breath, exhaling through your nose. 
• Repeat until you no longer feel short of breath.

Pursed lip breathing

This basic, simple breathwork technique is a great solution to breathing problems since it can help you effectively slow down your breathing pace by deliberately applying effort every breath you take. Since it is easy, you can practice the pursed lip breathing for four to five times a day. 

How to practice pursed lip breathing: 

• Assume your comfortable position. 
• Relax your shoulders and neck. 
• Shut your mouth and take two slow inhalations via your nose.
• Purse your lips as if you are going to whistle. 
• Slowly exhale by blowing air through your pursed lips for four counts. 
• Repeat the breathing cycle.

Diaphragmatic breathing

Diaphragmatic breathing, also popularly known as belly breathing, can help you improve how you are using your diaphragm properly. According to study, this breathwork exercise is proven to be particularly helpful in people experiencing breathing challenges. Also, it helps with reducing stress and helping you breath more naturally without restrictions. 

How to practice diaphragmatic breathing:

• Lie on your back. Bend your knees and use a flat pillow on your head. 
• You may also use a pillow and place it under your knees for support and comfort. 
• Place your one hand on your upper chest while the other is below your rib cage. You must be able to feel your diaphragm. 
• Breathe slowly through your nose, feeling your stomach pressing into your hand.
• Keep your other hand as still as possible. 
• Exhale through your pursed lips while you are tightening your abdominal muscles. Keep your hand as still as possible. 
• Once you already feel familiar and comfortable with the breathing cycle, increase the difficulty. Do it while sitting on a chair or practice it while performing your daily activities.

Alternate nostril breathing

Remarkably, alternate nostril breathing has become popular for people who are experiencing breathing problems because it has been shown that it can effectively help enhance cardiovascular function and lower heart rate. Also known as Nadi Shodhana Pranayama in Sanskrit, it is a great breathwork practice to try if you want to relax your body and mind. It is best to practice it on an empty stomach and avoid it when you are feeling congested or sick. Always remember to keep your breath smooth by avoiding feeling any pressure. 

How to practice alternate nostril breathing:

• Get in a comfortable seated position. 
• Lift your right hand toward your nose. Press your first and middle fingers down toward your palm and leave your other fingers extended. 
• After you exhale, use your right thumb to gently close your right nostril. 
• Inhale through your left nostril and close it immediately using your right pinky and ring fingers.
• Release your thumb, exhaling out through your right nostril.
• Inhale through your right nostril, and close it immediately. 
• Open your left nostril and exhale through it—this is the end of one breathing cycle. 
• Continue practicing this breathwork exercise for up to five minutes. 
• Finish this breathing session with an exhale through your left nostril. 

Equal breathing

If it is about correcting your abnormal breathing patterns? You can’t go wrong trying the equal breathing technique because it focuses on helping with making your inhales and exhales the same length. Also, it can make your breath smooth and steady, promoting balance and serenity in your body and mind. Research proves that it is a breathwork technique that may help improve mental well-being and increase the oxygen supply to the body. 

The equal breathing exercise will require you to decide on your breath length, which is not too difficult and not too easy. Don’t pick a too fast breathing pattern to maintain your equal breathing throughout the practice and avoid experiencing breathing problems. The usual count is between 3 and 5 counts.

How to practice equal breathing: 

• Choose a comfortable seated position.
• Breathe in and out through your nose.
• Don’t forget to count every time you inhale and exhale because it is important to make sure that you will achieve an equal duration for both breathing cycles. 
• Alternatively, you can just pick some words or a short phrase that you can repeat every time you breathe. 
• You can add a pause for breath retention for every inhale and exhale. After all, normal breathing also incorporates a natural pause. 
• Continuing practicing this breathwork technique for at least five minutes to experience a relaxed feeling.

Humming bee breath

As the name implies, the humming bee breath incorporates a humming sound. This breathwork exercise helps with creating instant calm within the body and mind. Research shows that it may relieve frustration, anxiety, and anger. At the same time, it can help safely reduce the heart rate that might solve breathing problems. Since it involves making a humming sound, it is best to practice it in a place you can freely make a humming sound. 

How to practice humming bee breath: 

• Choose a comfortable seated position. 
• Close your eyes. Relax your face and body.
• Use your hands to cover your ears or your fingers to specifically close your ear canal. This will help to easily create a humming sound. 
• Inhale, and then gently press your fingers into the cartilage when you exhale. 
• Close your mouth and start creating a humming sound. 
• Continue this breathwork exercise as long as you can. 

Sitali breath

If stress and panic are the cause of your breathing problems, the Sitali breath is a great breathing exercise to try. Once done properly, it can effectively help you relax your mind and lower your body temperature for a better feeling. With this, it is ideal to practice it in a place free of any allergens that affect you and air pollution.

How to practice Sitali breath: 

• Choose a comfortable seated position. 
• Stick out and curl your tongue to bring the outer edges together.
• If you can’t curl your tongue, you can just purse your lips. 
• Inhale through your mouth.
• Exhale through your nose.
• Continue with this breathing technique for up to five minutes, or until you feel comfortable.

Tips for Better Breathing

Besides breathwork exercises, there are other things you can do to manage your breathing problems and improve your breathing. Here are some of the few ways you can try to breath more easily and efficiently:

Consider lifestyle changes

To maintain good lung health, it is recommended to adopt positive lifestyle habits such as maintaining a healthy weight, consuming nutritious foods with antioxidants, and getting vaccinated against the flu and pneumonia to prevent lung infections. It’s important to avoid smoking, inhaling secondhand smoke, and exposure to environmental irritants. You can improve the air quality indoors by using air filters.

Practice good posture

By maintaining good posture, you can improve your lung function as it enables your chest and thoracic spine to expand fully. This helps your rib cage and diaphragm to expand properly, which enhances the range of motion on the front side of your body. When you have good posture, you can breathe more efficiently and effectively, making daily and physical activities easier.

Adjust your sleeping position

The position in which you sleep can impact your breathing. To promote open airways and reduce snoring, it’s recommended to sleep on your side with your head elevated using pillows and placing a pillow between your legs to maintain spinal alignment. Alternatively, you could sleep on your back and a pillow under your head and knees. However, if you have sleep apnea or snoring, sleeping on your back is not preferred as it could obstruct your breathing tube with your tongue.

Stretch and flex

To alleviate any tightness in your shoulders, chest, and back, you can perform exercises that improve flexibility, resistance, and stretching to enhance your posture. This will allow you to expand your ribcage in all directions when breathing. Additionally, stretching exercises or massages can help to relieve any tightness. Staying active is also recommended and can be achieved through activities such as swimming, rowing, or any physical activity that involves movement.

Final Thoughts

Breathwork can be an effective method for managing breathing problems and improving lung health. Practicing good posture, adjusting sleeping positions, and performing exercises to relieve tightness can enhance lung function and promote better breathing. It’s also crucial to avoid smoking, secondhand smoke, and environmental irritants, and to maintain a healthy weight and diet with adequate antioxidants. With these lifestyle changes and breathwork techniques, you can improve your respiratory health and enjoy a better quality of life.

Regina is the right breathwork professional you can trust to help you experience the power of breathwork and move on to incorporating it with yoga and other beneficial activities. Interested in experiencing breathwork with Regina? Regina offers two virtual breathwork sessions per month, which are easily accessible from anywhere in the world. Check out and join us for a session!