Time: < 30 Minutes

STEP 1: To begin, sit down in a comfortable position, putting one hand on the chest and the other on the belly, and take a deep breath in through the nose. Make sure the diaphragm inflates fully to create a slight stretch in the lungs. The breath should push the hand on the stomach out, while the other hand on the chest does not move.

STEP 2: Try getting six to ten slow, deep breaths per minute for approximately ten minutes every day. There may be immediate benefits such as reduction in heart rate and blood pressure, and after six to eight weeks of regular practice, the advantages may become even more apparent.

STEP 3: Another method is alternate nostril breathing more commonly known in yoga as Nadi Shodhana. To begin, sit comfortably on the ground, a pillow, or blanket. Rest the left palm gently on the left knee and raise the right hand to the nose. Using the right thumb, gently close the right nostril and begin inhaling slowly through the left nostril. When the breath reaches its peak, close the left nostril with the ring finger. Pause for a few seconds, then exhale slowly through the right nostril. Continue alternating which nostril is used to breathe, repeating the pattern eight to ten times. When completed, ease back to normal breathing.

STEP 4: The Fourfold Breath is easy to do and can be used as a warmup before meditation or yoga, or to gain clarity or reduce stress in times of panic. To begin, inhale a full breath through the nose for a total of four seconds. Hold it for an additional four seconds and then completely exhale for another count to four. Now keep the lungs empty for another four seconds and repeat back from the start. Do ten to twenty times, or until you begin feeling calm and less anxious.

STEP 5: Morning Breathing is used to help clear obstructed breathing passages and relieve muscle stiffness. Morning breathing can also be used throughout the day to relieve some tension in the back. Begin in a standing position, then bend forward at the waist with knees slightly bent and arms dangling to the floor. Inhale slowly and deeply, returning to a standing position by rolling up slowly, lifting the head last. Hold the breath for a few seconds in standing position and exhale slowly, returning to the original position.