How to Stay Calm and Deal With Lockdown Anxiety

Mudit Dandwate, Co-founder, Dozee shares easy breathing techniques to keep stress at bay in current times.

It is common to feel anxious, especially when we are constantly in the middle of a rat race or at times stuck in a world crisis or a pandemic, like COVID-19 currently. The anxiety, if left unattended can go to extremes and/or develop into branches of anxiety disorders including generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and panic attacks. It is important to make a note of developing anxiety issues and to tame it at an early stage. 

Anxiety can have an effect on your breathing, but your breathing can have a stronger effect and hence a hold on your anxiety. And though anxiety tends to have various effects on everybody, rapid breathing is one major common symptom of it. Other anxiety symptoms include restlessness, inability to concentrate, and sleep problems. But your breath gets more rapid when you are exposed to a stressful or anxiety-inducing situation.  In such situations, some breathing techniques can really help you focus on your thoughts and thus reduce anxiety. One major and effective way to dwindle anxiety is to find one thing you can feel immediately. Your breathing exercise can help you with this during times of anxiety or panic attacks.

Deep breathing

Deep breathing can be done anywhere and at any time without requiring you to use any tools. Many times, just taking a few deep breaths before entering a stressful situation or when you find yourself in the middle of a stressful situation can help lower stress and anxiety levels. Just 2-3 deep breaths and you’re pretty much good to go.

Morning breathing

Try this exercise when you first get up in the morning to relieve muscle stiffness and clear clogged breathing passages. Then use it throughout the day to relieve back tension. From a standing position, bend forward from the waist with your knees slightly bent, letting your arms dangle close to the floor. As you inhale slowly and deeply, return to a standing position by rolling up slowing, lifting your head last. Hold your breath for just a few seconds in this standing position. Exhale slowly as you return to the original position, bending forward from the waist. Notice how you feel at the end of the exercise. This exercise helps you start your day on a much relieved and lighter note and prepares you more energetically by inducing more oxygen into the blood through excessive, relaxed and concentrated breathing. 

Relaxed breathing

Deep breathing is convenient and can be done from wherever and however. But if you still need something more structured, you can always practice relaxed breathing. Sit in a comfortable position and breathe in through your nose for 6 seconds (try to fill your abdomen). Hold your breath for two minutes and then release through your pursed lips. Repeat this ten times and you’re good to go. Practice daily for a better result.

Counting breaths

Counting breaths is a convenient way of keeping yourself away from having any other thoughts whatsoever and focusing only on your breathing. Sit comfortably and close your eyes. Take one deep breath and release it while saying the word “relax” either silently or aloud. Breathe naturally 10 times while counting each breath (try to relax your face muscles as well as shoulders and other areas). Countdown from 10-1 slowly and then slowly open your eyes.

Meditation breathing

This is the simplest of the breathing exercises and can be done in just about any stressful or anxiety-producing situation. Close your eyes and breathe it. Ignore the breathing in and only concentrate when you breathe out. Breathe out as much as possible while relaxing the tensed muscles in your body like the shoulders, face, palms, arms, etc. 

Anulom vilom

Anulom Vilom is a part of the ancient yoga techniques that Yogis introduced to the world. It is breathing in and breathing out of the alternate nostrils. It’s convenient, easy and can be done at any time, anywhere which is one reason why more people are attracted to it. It also heals the nervous system and brings about peace, tranquility and calm while strengthening the mind and complete relaxation of the body. It also helps relieve depression, overcome negative thoughts and pushes you to feel more positive while also improving one’s patience, focus and concentration.

Anxiety issues can also be subdued by practising these breathing techniques on a daily basis, thus sustaining good mental and physical health gradually. You can also dedicate 5-10 minutes of your day to practice these easy on the go breathing exercises in the middle of your day. Or you can use IoT/AI devices or other applications to help you remind and practice guided meditation and ease your anxiety and stress. These devices can also help you with your health report and thus advise you to do what’s best for your health and anxiety.

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