What are some breathing exercises for anger?
Breathing is, hopefully, a common every day occurrence for you. Our body takes care of it itself, keeping us alive every minute of every day. The breath isn’t always in the background, though. It also plays an important role in emotion and is deeply connected to every system in our body. When we’re angry our breathing becomes shallow and fast. If you’re looking for some breathing exercises for when you’re angry, read on. You can also check out our printable breathing exercise cards!
What Happens to Our Body When We’re Angry?
When we get angry our body releases stress hormones. When we’re angry what our body thinks is “We’re getting ready to physically fight” even though that isn’t typically the right call in modern society. Our body produces adrenaline and cortisol, and begins pushing blood towards the skeletal muscles. We are literally physically getting ready to fight or die. Because of these effects, chronic anger itself is associated with a host of health problems. Chronic anger is linked with heart problems, high blood pressure and stroke. This doesn’t even count the social issues that can arise from uncontrolled anger.
Breathing Exercises for Anger Management
Managing your anger, and learning to productively deal with that emotion is an essential skill. Here’s a couple breathing techniques to pull yourself back from the edge of anger:
Box Breathing
Taking control of your breathing is one of the first steps to regaining control in a tense situation. Even navy seals use this technique. It’s simple. First breathe in for a slow count of four, then hold for another count out four. Exhale over a count of four, and rest for a count of four. Do this three or four times until you have control of your breathing. This helps you regulate your breathing rate and focusing on it calms down the body’s stress response system.
Alternate Nostril Breathing
This breathing method is another excellent way to slow your heart rate and come down from the intense emotions of anger. Begin by blocking one nostril and gently breathing in through that nostril. Close that nostril, and exhale through the other. Repeat this process. Alternate nostril breathing has been shown to improve blood pressure.
Anger triggers our fight-or-flight responses. Our body beings dumping tons of stress hormones into our body, preparing the body for the physical exertion that it thinks we’re going to need. But in modern times, fighting isn’t always the best response to situations of stress. These unresolved emotions have corrosive effects on the body. When things are too overwhelming, take a step back, take a few deep breaths. The more you practice controlling your anger, the easier it will be.
