Mindful Breathing: Techniques for Reducing Anxiety and Finding Inner Calm

The mind has many tools to help us reduce stress, but meditation and mindful breathing are some of the most effective.

Meditation and mindful breathing reduce anxiety and calm down our minds. They give us clarity and perspective. But most importantly, these tools give us an opportunity to connect to ourselves. They give us space to breathe deeply and allow us to find inner peace.


In this post, I'll share with you techniques for using meditation and mindful breathing.

You Don't Need to Meditate Daily

The thing that separates those who are happy from those who are stressed is how we choose to deal with stressful situations. Those who are constantly in fight mode, always worried about what's coming next, are the ones that are stressed.

Those who approach stressful situations calmly, by actively choosing to focus on their breathing and slowing their thoughts and emotions, are happier. And for those of you who believe that this is some weird new age woo... it's nothing new. It's called mindfulness.

Mindfulness and meditation go hand in hand. Meditation helps us slow down and gain perspective. Mindfulness helps us learn to manage our emotions and find inner calm. In my book, The Art of Mindfulness, I teach you techniques for finding inner calm.

There Are Many Benefits to Meditation and Mindful Breathing

There are many benefits to practicing meditation and mindful breathing. Some of these are discussed below.

Reduces Stress and Anxiety

There are numerous studies linking meditation and mindfulness to reduced stress and anxiety. For example, a study conducted at the University of Pittsburgh found that meditation reduced stress levels in healthy young adults more than yoga and relaxation.

Another study by the National Institutes of Health found that mindfulness improved people's ability to deal with pain and increased their attention during stressful tasks.

Improves Mental Health

Mindfulness and meditation improve mental health for several reasons. One reason is that when we meditate and practice mindfulness, we actually start to care about ourselves. We become more present, aware, and self-aware.

We begin to understand that we don't have to be perfect, and that it's ok if we mess up once in a while. This awareness leads to self-acceptance. This in turn reduces the fear of failure, and in turn reduces stress and anxiety.

Develops Self-Worth

One of the biggest benefits of practicing mindfulness and meditation is that it helps us develop our self-worth. The act of focusing on our breath, our thoughts, and our feelings calms our mind and gives us a sense of control.

This then allows us to start noticing our own flaws, and the flaws in others. We can also notice and value the positive things in ourselves and others. All of this leads to a strong sense of self-worth.

Helps Us Be More Connected

The most valuable aspect of mindfulness is that it makes us more connected. Our brains actually start to physically wire together. As the neuroscientist Gary Schwartz explains, "Neurons that fire together, wire together