Deep Breathing Can Reduce Stress, Anxiety
2024-12-10
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1From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.
2At Myosin Marketing in Austin, Texas, the group employee meeting begins with an uncommon activity for a workplace.
3The members gather on Zoom and the head of the company, Sean Clayton, leads them through a deep-breathing exercise.
4Clayton says the activity helps his employees relax and to be willing to take creative risks.
5"At first they thought it was really weird," he said, adding that most people turned off their cameras.
6But, after a couple of weeks, there was a change.
7The employees said the deep breathing felt good.
8Studies show that deep breathing can be an effective way to reduce tension, or stress, at work.
9But people may not think about their breathing while on the job.
10Workers who sit at computers for long periods tend to take shallow breaths as their shoulders slowly rise.
11Workers who spend the day on their feet in retail or health care may be too busy to center their attention on breathing.
12But there is good reason to stop what you are doing and take deep breaths, research suggests.
13Long-lasting stress can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
14Experts at the American Heart Association say it can be as harmful as secondhand smoke.
15Research suggests deep-breathing exercises can lower a person's blood pressure and reduce anxiety.
16There are many benefits to deep breathing.
17For starters, it is free.
18It can be done anywhere.
19And unlike a 30-minute meditation practice, most deep breathing exercises do not take much time.
20Also, it gives you something to focus on - your breathing.
21Experts say that this can help to calm racing thoughts.
22Focusing on breathing for one to five minutes can help you clear your mind and let you "get back to focusing on the one thing you want to accomplish," said Glenn Levine.
23He is a heart and blood system doctor and professor at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.
24A good way to do deep breathing exercises is outside, Levine said.
25However, if that is not possible, doing them at a desk works.
26"Instead of focusing on the screen or work, just focus on your breathing. If possible," Levine said, "close your eyes."
27Even very busy people can find time for daily breathing exercises.
28Lisa Marie Deleveaux is a marketing professional and mother of five.
29She lost her job several months ago and has struggled to find a new one.
30Deleveaux wakes early most mornings before her children, to do breathing exercises.
31"If you set a priority for yourself ... you can make the time," Deleveaux said.
32With one breathing exercise, she breaths in through one nostril and then out through the other.
33She uses a thumb or forefinger to hold one nostril closed at a time.
34"It relaxes my mind. It makes my mind so full of ease. It brings you back to the present moment," she added.
35To get ahead of anxiety before starting her workday, sales representative Lindsay Carlisle of Michigan does breathing exercises with her seven-year-old daughter during their drive to school.
36They breathe in for seven counts, hold their breath for five, and then breathe out for seven counts.
37They repeat this several times.
38"Throughout that process, my shoulders start to drop on their own, and it really is calming," Carlisle said.
39Suze Yalof Schwartz was an overworked magazine editor when her mother-in-law taught her a three-minute meditation method.
40Yalof Schwartz says it changed her life.
41She left her career and founded Unplug Meditation, a Santa Monica, California, company with a meditation studio, an app, and programs for corporate customers.
42"When we slow down our breath, we send a signal to our brain that everything's OK, even when it's not," she said.
43Another 16-second breathing exercise is called box breathing.
44You breathe in for four counts, hold for four, breathe out for four counts and hold for another four.
45Yalof Schwartz has taught it to people in stressful jobs including firefighters, police and doctors.
46"It is the best thing that you can do at work before you have a meeting, before you send out an email that you wish you didn't send, before you have a difficult conversation, because it just calms you down, gets rid of your negative energy," she said.
47Employers such as Coca-Cola, Mattel and Netflix have used Unplug Meditation to teach breathing or meditation.
48It is not always easy for workers to find space for deep breathing exercises.
49For example, salespeople often work alongside their customers.
50Yalof Schwartz suggests doing breathing exercises when making a sale or organizing items.
51Carlisle, the sales representative, sets a timer on her phone telling her to breathe deeply.
52She also keeps a note near her computer that simply says "Breathe."
53"The anxiety is always going to be there," Carlisle said.
54"But at least I know I have one small tool. ... It sounds so simple and silly, but it works."
55And that's the Health & Lifestyle report.
56I'm Anna Matteo. And I'm Mario Ritter, Jr.
1From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. 2At Myosin Marketing in Austin, Texas, the group employee meeting begins with an uncommon activity for a workplace. The members gather on Zoom and the head of the company, Sean Clayton, leads them through a deep-breathing exercise. 3Clayton says the activity helps his employees relax and to be willing to take creative risks. 4"At first they thought it was really weird," he said, adding that most people turned off their cameras. But, after a couple of weeks, there was a change. The employees said the deep breathing felt good. 5Studies show that deep breathing can be an effective way to reduce tension, or stress, at work. But people may not think about their breathing while on the job. 6Workers who sit at computers for long periods tend to take shallow breaths as their shoulders slowly rise. Workers who spend the day on their feet in retail or health care may be too busy to center their attention on breathing. 7But there is good reason to stop what you are doing and take deep breaths, research suggests. 8Long-lasting stress can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Experts at the American Heart Association say it can be as harmful as secondhand smoke. Research suggests deep-breathing exercises can lower a person's blood pressure and reduce anxiety. 9There are many benefits to deep breathing. For starters, it is free. It can be done anywhere. And unlike a 30-minute meditation practice, most deep breathing exercises do not take much time. 10Also, it gives you something to focus on - your breathing. Experts say that this can help to calm racing thoughts. 11Focusing on breathing for one to five minutes can help you clear your mind and let you "get back to focusing on the one thing you want to accomplish," said Glenn Levine. He is a heart and blood system doctor and professor at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. 12A good way to do deep breathing exercises is outside, Levine said. However, if that is not possible, doing them at a desk works. 13"Instead of focusing on the screen or work, just focus on your breathing. If possible," Levine said, "close your eyes." 14Even very busy people can find time for daily breathing exercises. 15Lisa Marie Deleveaux is a marketing professional and mother of five. She lost her job several months ago and has struggled to find a new one. Deleveaux wakes early most mornings before her children, to do breathing exercises. 16"If you set a priority for yourself ... you can make the time," Deleveaux said. 17With one breathing exercise, she breaths in through one nostril and then out through the other. She uses a thumb or forefinger to hold one nostril closed at a time. 18"It relaxes my mind. It makes my mind so full of ease. It brings you back to the present moment," she added. 19To get ahead of anxiety before starting her workday, sales representative Lindsay Carlisle of Michigan does breathing exercises with her seven-year-old daughter during their drive to school. They breathe in for seven counts, hold their breath for five, and then breathe out for seven counts. They repeat this several times. 20"Throughout that process, my shoulders start to drop on their own, and it really is calming," Carlisle said. 21Suze Yalof Schwartz was an overworked magazine editor when her mother-in-law taught her a three-minute meditation method. 22Yalof Schwartz says it changed her life. She left her career and founded Unplug Meditation, a Santa Monica, California, company with a meditation studio, an app, and programs for corporate customers. 23"When we slow down our breath, we send a signal to our brain that everything's OK, even when it's not," she said. 24Another 16-second breathing exercise is called box breathing. You breathe in for four counts, hold for four, breathe out for four counts and hold for another four. Yalof Schwartz has taught it to people in stressful jobs including firefighters, police and doctors. 25"It is the best thing that you can do at work before you have a meeting, before you send out an email that you wish you didn't send, before you have a difficult conversation, because it just calms you down, gets rid of your negative energy," she said. 26Employers such as Coca-Cola, Mattel and Netflix have used Unplug Meditation to teach breathing or meditation. 27It is not always easy for workers to find space for deep breathing exercises. For example, salespeople often work alongside their customers. Yalof Schwartz suggests doing breathing exercises when making a sale or organizing items. 28Carlisle, the sales representative, sets a timer on her phone telling her to breathe deeply. She also keeps a note near her computer that simply says "Breathe." 29"The anxiety is always going to be there," Carlisle said. "But at least I know I have one small tool. ... It sounds so simple and silly, but it works." 30And that's the Health & Lifestyle report. 31I'm Anna Matteo. And I'm Mario Ritter, Jr. 32Cathy Bussewitz reported this story for the Associated Press. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English. 33________________________________________ 34Words in This Story 35relax -v. to make less tense or rigid 36weird -adj. of strange or extraordinary character 37shallow -adj. having little depth 38anxiety -n. fear or nervousness about what might happen 39benefit -n. something that produces good or helpful results or effects or that promotes well-being 40meditate -v. to spend time in quiet thinking and breathing : meditation -n. the act of meditating 41focus -n. a center of activity, attraction, or attention 42accomplish -v. to succeed in reaching (a stage in a progression) 43priority -n. precedence in exercise of rights in the same subject matter 44negative -adj. not positive or helpful 45silly -adj. playfully lighthearted and amusing