Stressed out? Breathe.

Being an international student and juggling a full time job (or multiple part time jobs) and your studies is bound to be a stressful experience in your life. I know it is to me. In the past months I have experienced many of the most common stress symptoms, such as back and neck pain, accelerated thinking, irritability and difficulty concentrating.

So in addition to seeking professional help, I found out about a natural coping mechanism that all of us can use in our daily lives, not only during stressful times but as part of a wellness routine - I’m talking about breathing exercises.

The first time someone suggested that I should take breathing classes, I laughed at them. “Why would I pay someone to teach me how to do something I’ve been doing since the day I was born?” It turns out they were right - most people, myself included, usually breathe by inflating their chests, when the correct way of breathing is by expanding our belly. 

The so-called diaphragmatic breathing consists of inhaling into the stomach, which can be done by using the diaphragm, a large muscle that sits at the bottom of our ribcage. Belly breathing allows us to take deeper breaths and has a number of health benefits that include the lowering of heart rate and blood pressure, the slowing of the breathing rate and the promotion of relaxation. In fact, studies show that this kind of breathing reduces levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) in the body, thus attenuating symptoms of stress and anxiety.

In my case, when I need to control my stress levels, in addition to breathing into my stomach I also make the effort to do it slowly, counting to 4 while I inhale, holding my breath for another 4 counts, then exhaling for 8 counts, repeatedly. The counting not only helps keep the pace of the breathing slow and steady, but also helps the mind to focus on the present moment and stop racing around whatever acted as a stressor in any particular situation.

I hope you have found these tips useful and can benefit from them next time you go through stressful events in your life. However, don’t rely solely on this practice if you face prolonged periods of stress or notice severe stress symptoms. The best course of action, in those cases, is to seek professional help.

Take care!

Folk, J. (2021, May 22). 20 signs and symptoms of stress. AnxietyCentre.com. Retrieved March 29, 2023, from https://www.anxietycentre.com/tips/20-signs-and-symptoms-of-stress/ 

Johnson, J. (2022, October 13). What is diaphragmatic breathing? benefits and how-to. Medical News Today. Retrieved March 29, 2023, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/diaphragmatic-breathing#conditions-it-can-help-with