Breathing Exercises for Pain Relief
Breathing exercises, relaxation, distraction, enjoyable activities and mindfulness can help, if and when you have a sudden increase in pain.
In addition to this, they also help with your mental health and sleep too.
Practising breathing and relaxation exercises regularly have shown to increase “happy hormones“ in the brain such as endorphins, opioids, oxytocin, serotonin and dopamine. These are all part of our own pain-relieving “medicine cabinet”.
These hormones can not only turn down the pain dial but they also help to relieve tension in the connective tissue and muscles.
The best thing about breathing exercises is that they can be done anywhere and at any time. Whether you are at work, school, at home or even at the free-throw line, breathing exercises can come in handy.
There’s no one-size-fits-all technique, so try different styles to work out what’s best for you. Trying them at home first is often best. Find a comfortable seated position or lie down, this can be on the floor, a chair with back support or the sofa.
Make sure you’re warm and free from distractions. Although, don’t worry if you are distracted while practising, this is common when first starting out. The most important thing is that you return to the exercise once you have recognised your mind has drifted elsewhere.
I personally like to utilise different techniques dependant on where I am. Try some of the following:
Deep abdominal breathing
Deep abdominal breathing is one of the most common breathing techniques for relaxation. It promotes mind-body balance and healing:
- Place one hand on your stomach and one on your chest. Imagine there is a balloon in your stomach.
- Inhale through your nose and fill the base of your stomach, feeling the stomach rise as though you’re blowing up the balloon.
- Keep inhaling, sending the breath upwards through the chest, feeling the ribs moving outwards, sideways and backwards.
- Finally send the breath all the way to the collarbones, filling the lungs as full as they will go.
- Exhale slowly out through the mouth, feeling the body release all the way down to the base of the stomach.
- Aim for each inhale and exhale to be as slow as possible
- Repeat the process as many times as you feel you need.
Some people may struggle with this to start with. If you feel overwhelmed, return to normal breathing for a short while.
The following video combines deep abdominal breathing with a body scan for full-body relaxation (10 minutes).
Rectangular breathing
Rectangular breathing, also known as box breathing, involves taking slow, deep breaths to shift your energy, calm your nervous system and decrease stress, worry and tension:
- Imagine a rectangular shape in your mind (or use your phone or TV screen). Focus your attention in the bottom left-hand corner.
- As you breathe in follow the left hand side of the square to the top.
- Pause momentarily at the top left corner.
- Exhale across the top while following the line with your eyes.
- Pause momentarily
- Follow the right hand line downwards with your eyes as you Inhale
- Pause before following the bottom line from right to left as you exhale.
- Repeat this breathing square, allowing the breath to slow down.
- Continue around the rectangle slowly and methodically until you are calm and regain rational thought, or until your tension eases
(3-minute video)
Alternate nostril breathing
Alternate nostril breathing is a simple technique originating from Ayurvedic medicine, designed to settle the mind, body, and emotions:
- Lift your right hand up toward your nose, exhale completely and then use one of your fingers to close your right nostril.
- Inhale through your left nostril and then close the left nostril with your fingers.
- Then release your finger from the right nostril and exhale through this side.
- Next, inhale through the right nostril and then close it again with your thumb.
- Release your left nostril and exhale through it.
- Repeat for as long as required and finish with an exhalation on the left side.
4-7-8 breathing
4-7-8 breathing is a method pioneered by Dr Andrew Weil to reduce anxiety and promote sleep:
- Rest the tip of your tongue against the roof of your mouth behind your top front teeth and keep it in place throughout.
- Exhale completely, and then with your lips closed, inhaling silently through your nose to the count of four.
- Hold your breath for seven seconds, then exhale from your mouth for eight seconds.
- Close your lips and inhale again. Repeat as many times as required.
Wim Hof Technique for beginners
Wim Hof, also known as The Iceman, is a Dutch extreme athlete noted for his ability to withstand freezing temperatures and setting Guinness world records. He attributes these feats to his Wim Hof Method. His techniques could be seen as extreme but many people also find his breathing exercises beneficial.
The breathing exercises are only one of his three pillars that form the Wim Hof Method. He believes the techniques can help you to become stronger and improve your physical and mental health.
This is a slower-paced Wim Hof Method breathing exercise for beginners. It starts with a 30 seconds hold building up to 90 seconds of breath-hold.
Final Note
Even though breathing is vital for us, if you have any medical conditions, check with a medical professional before starting any of these exercises. Note that breathing exercises can affect motor control and, in rare cases, lead to loss of consciousness. Always sit or lie down before practising the techniques. Never practice while in control of a vehicle/machinery, or near bodies of water.