Breathing Techniques for Busy, Anxious Women: Simple Ways to Calm Stress & Find Balance
Life for many modern women often feels like it's racing ahead at full speed. Whether you're balancing demanding work projects, tight deadlines, or a never-ending list of personal commitments, it can feel like you’re constantly running on empty. Emotionally drained and restless, you know you should slow down, but it seems almost impossible—especially when your to-do list keeps growing and your mind refuses to take a break. Trust me, I get it. Slowing down is a challenge when you're always on the go, and even taking a moment to breathe can feel more like a luxury than a necessity.
But here’s the truth: breathwork is one of the simplest, yet most effective, ways to reset your nervous system and restore emotional balance—even in the midst of chaos. It’s easy to forget, but your breath is a powerful tool that’s always within reach. When you become intentional about how you breathe, you activate your parasympathetic nervous system—the part of your body that helps you relax, reconnect, and access the more logical, calm side of your brain.
The best part? You don’t need to carve out hours of time or add one more task to your already full list. Just a few minutes a day can help bring clarity, calm, and emotional grounding.
In this post, I’ll walk you through some simple breathing techniques to help you get started, but before we dive in, here are a few things to keep in mind to make your breathwork practice easier to integrate:
Now, before we dive into skills, I know what you’re probably thinking: “That sounds great, but I’m too busy for breathing exercises!" I hear this all the time, and honestly, I get it. With everything you’re juggling, it can feel impossible to prioritize something as simple as breathing. But just like anything else, learning to calm your mind and body through breathwork requires practice. Think of it as a workout for your nervous system. At first, it might feel unfamiliar or even a little awkward, but with a bit of repetition, it gets easier and more natural.
Here are a few tips to ease into it:
Start small: You don’t need to commit to long sessions right away. Even just a few minutes of deep breathing each day can make a noticeable difference. Start with a simple technique and try it for just a minute or two.
Experiment: Not every breathing technique will resonate with you, and that’s perfectly okay. Try different methods to see what feels best for you. Just because one technique works for someone else doesn’t mean it’ll be your perfect fit—and that’s totally fine.
Keep it simple: Don’t overwhelm yourself with too many techniques. Pick one, stick with it until it feels comfortable, and then move on to others if you want to expand your practice.
Set reminders: A visual cue can help remind you to breathe throughout the day. Whether it’s a sticky note on your mirror, a sticker on your laptop, or a note on your fridge, these little prompts will encourage you to pause and take a few calming breaths.
Be kind to yourself: Breathwork is a skill, and like any new habit, it takes time to develop. Don’t be too hard on yourself if it doesn’t feel natural right away. Focus on progress, not perfection.
Now, let’s dive into a few simple techniques that can help you slow down, ground yourself, and regain calm in the midst of your busy day.
Breathing Exercises to Help You Reset
Now that we’ve covered a few tips to get started, let’s dive into some breathing exercises designed to help you ground yourself, release tension, and reset when stress starts to take over.
Box Breathing (Square Breathing)
Box breathing is a simple yet powerful technique that calms the mind and body by focusing on equalizing the duration of your inhales, holds, and exhales. It signals to the body that you’re safe and can relax.
How to do it:
Inhale for 4 seconds.
Hold your breath for 4 seconds.
Exhale for 4 seconds.
Hold your breath for another 4 seconds.
Repeat this cycle 3-5 times.
4-7-8 Breathing
This technique is simple yet highly effective in activating the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation, and releasing tension. It can signal to your body that it is safe to relax and can help you shift your nervous system away from the fight-or-flight response.
How to do it:
Inhale quietly through your nose for 4 seconds.
Hold the breath for 7 seconds.
Exhale slowly and fully through your mouth for 8 seconds.
Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana)
This practice calms the mind, reduces stress, and balances the body’s energy. It can be especially helpful for cooling down anger and creating a sense of emotional equilibrium.
How to do it:
Sit in a comfortable position and close your eyes.
Use your right thumb to close your right nostril.
Inhale deeply through the left nostril.
Close the left nostril with your right ring finger, and release the right nostril.
Exhale slowly through the right nostril.
Inhale through the right nostril, then close it and exhale through the left.
Continue alternating nostrils for 5-10 cycles.
Diaphragmatic Breathing (Deep Belly Breathing)
This technique helps shift your focus from the emotional charge of anger to the calming rhythm of your breath. Diaphragmatic breathing uses the diaphragm to allow for fuller breaths and more oxygen, which aids in relaxing the nervous system.
How to do it:
Sit or lie down in a comfortable position.
Place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen.
Inhale deeply through your nose, ensuring that your belly (not your chest) expands as you breathe in.
Exhale slowly through your mouth, allowing your abdomen to contract.
Focus on slow, deep breaths for 5-10 minutes.
Lion’s Breath (Simhasana)
Lion’s Breath is a powerful exercise that can help release anger and tension. It combines deep breathing with a physical release, making it great for quickly releasing pent-up emotions.
How to do it:
Sit with your spine straight and shoulders relaxed.
Take a deep breath in through your nose.
Open your mouth wide, stick out your tongue, and exhale forcefully, making a “ha” sound from your diaphragm.
Repeat 3-5 times.
Chicken Breath
Chicken breath is a playful yet effective technique, especially useful when you're feeling agitated or when you're experiencing emotional overwhelm. The quick, forceful exhalations help expel pent-up energy, while the movement can encourage the nervous system to release stress and bring a sense of relief.
How to do it:
Stand or sit with your feet firmly grounded.
Inhale deeply through your nose.
As you exhale, make short, quick, forceful "clucking" sounds like a chicken, while quickly flapping your arms as if they were wings.
Focus on the movement and rhythm of your breath as you "cluck" out the tension.
Repeat for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Resonance Breathing (Coherent Breathing)
Resonance breathing aims to synchronize your breath with your body’s natural rhythm, creating a calming effect and improving emotional regulation. It's especially effective for slowing down the nervous system during moments of heightened anger.
How to do it:
Inhale for a count of 5 seconds.
Exhale for a count of 5 seconds.
Maintain this 5-second inhale and 5-second exhale pattern for 10-20 minutes.
You can use a timer or breath visualization apps to guide your practice.
3-Part Breathing (Dirga Pranayama)
This exercise helps bring awareness to different parts of the breath, encouraging a deep sense of relaxation. It’s particularly useful for when you feel anger building, as it can release trapped tension in the chest and stomach.
How to do it:
Sit comfortably and close your eyes.
Begin by inhaling into your belly, then into your ribcage, and finally into your chest, expanding your lungs fully.
Exhale slowly in the reverse order: from the chest, through the ribcage, and out of the belly.
Repeat for 5-10 cycles.
Ocean’s Breath (Ujjayi Pranayama)
Ocean’s Breath creates a gentle sound in the back of the throat as you breathe, which is calming and grounding. This practice helps to soothe the nervous system and maintain emotional balance during moments of anger.
How to do it:
Inhale deeply through your nose while gently constricting the back of your throat (as if you’re fogging up a mirror).
Exhale slowly, maintaining the throat constriction to produce a soft "ocean wave" sound.
Continue for 5-10 minutes.
Breathing Through the Mouth (Active Sighing)
When you’re feeling overwhelmed, taking a deep sigh can help release tension and emotions associated with anger. This exercise mimics the natural way our bodies process intense emotions and brings a quick sense of relief.
How to do it:
Inhale deeply through your nose.
Exhale through your mouth with an audible sigh, letting go of any tension or frustration.
Repeat 3-5 times, noticing how your body relaxes with each exhale.
Mindfulness and Breathing: A Holistic Approach
Breathing exercises are not only effective for calming the body in the moment, but they can also serve as a gateway to mindfulness. Mindfulness involves being present with your thoughts and feelings without judgment, which can significantly improve emotional regulation over time.
When combined with regular mindfulness practices, these breathing strategies can help you gain greater awareness of your emotional triggers, leading to healthier emotional responses. With mindfulness, you’re able to observe your emotions—such as anger or stress—as they arise, giving you the opportunity to process them before they escalate into impulsive behaviors or overwhelming reactions.
Signs You Might Need Extra Support
While breathing exercises and mindfulness can be transformative, there are times when you might feel like you need some additional support. If you struggle to manage emotions like anger or anxiety on your own, therapy can be a valuable resource to help you navigate these feelings and improve your emotional well-being.
You might be noticing that….
It often feels difficult to slow down, leading to restlessness and anxiety.
Emotional overwhelm is affecting your work, relationships, or overall sense of well-being.
Despite using self-help strategies, you’re still feeling stuck or overwhelmed.
You have trouble processing or expressing your emotions in healthy ways.
You experience physical symptoms (e.g., tension, headaches, sleep disturbances) due to stress.
If any of these resonate with you, therapy can provide a supportive environment where you can work through your emotions with a trained professional. Through therapy, you can explore your emotional patterns, develop personalized coping strategies, and learn healthier ways of responding to your feelings.
How Therapy Can Help
As a busy, high-achieving professional, managing stress and anger can feel overwhelming. Juggling work, deadlines, and personal commitments often leaves you feeling drained and restless. Breathwork can be a powerful tool to calm your body and mind, but sometimes, it’s not enough. Therapy can offer deeper support.
As an integrative therapist, I take a holistic approach to help you understand the root causes of your stress and anger, and work with you on strategies that actually feel right for you. Together, we’ll dig into what’s really going on, find ways to slow down, and figure out how to get you feeling more grounded and in control.
If you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed and just need someone to talk to, I’d love to connect. Reach out today to schedule a free consultation and see if we’re a good fit. Together, we’ll create a plan that helps you feel more balanced and at peace.