Reduce Stress and Anxiety in Five Minutes

One of the simplest and often most overlooked treatment for anxiety and stress is “mindfulness”. A simple way to practice is to mediate and focus on your own breathing. Mindful breathing has been shown that with a little time investment (10-15 minutes daily), people can minimize negative emotions, cool themselves down and help with stress and anxiety.

The Breathing

1. Take a deep inhale through your nostrils (2-3 seconds)
2. Hold your breath (2-3 seconds)
3. Take a long slow exhale (4-5 seconds)

Here’s how you do it:

1. Find a relaxed, comfortable position
   • Find a comfortable, relaxed position, either seated or lying down
   • Keep your back upright, but not too tight
   • Hands resting wherever they’re comfortable
2. Focus on your breath
   • Feel the natural flow of breath
   • Not long, not short, just natural
   • When one breath ends, the next breath begins
3. Redirect the wandering mind
   • Your mind may start to wander
   • If this happens, it is not a problem
   • Gently redirect your attention right back to the breathing
4. Stay here for five minutes
   • Notice your breath, in silence
   • Let yourself relax
   • As your practice improves, so will the outcomes