Box Breathing

Overview

Everyone experiences stress or anxiety at times, and this video introduces box breathing as a straightforward relaxation technique to help manage those feelings. Box breathing involves visualizing the breath moving around the sides of a box while controlling inhalation, breath-holding, exhalation, and pauses. This method aims to reset the breath to a normal rhythm and can be practiced anywhere, anytime.

The technique consists of four steps:

• Inhale: Visualize breathing up one side of the box, gradually filling the lungs with air.
• Hold: Hold the breath for one to five seconds while imagining moving across the top of the box.
• Exhale: Slowly exhale as you picture traveling down the other side of the box.
• Pause: Pause again for one to five seconds along the bottom of the box before repeating.

This cycle can be repeated seven to ten times, focusing attention on the breath. While sitting with feet grounded can enhance the practice, box breathing can be done in any setting.

Benefits of Box Breathing

The video explains that box breathing offers both physiological and psychological benefits:

• Physiological benefits: It helps regulate breathing, increases oxygen intake, and may reduce blood pressure and heart rate.
• Psychological benefits: By focusing on the breath, it diverts attention from stressors, helping to reduce feelings of anxiety and improve mood. The repetitive nature of the technique also supports stress reduction.

Overall, box breathing is presented as an easy-to-learn, accessible tool to help calm the mind and body during moments of stress or anxiety.

Source Information

This video was produced by Sunnybrook’s Communications & Stakeholder Relations team, featuring expertise from Dr. Joanna Mansfield, a psychiatrist at Sunnybrook’s Women’s Mood and Anxiety Clinic and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Clinic. The video is part of Sunnybrook’s mental health resources and encourages viewers to seek emergency help if needed.

For more information and support, viewers are directed to Sunnybrook Psychiatry and local crisis resources at Sunnybrook Get Help.