Overview

Elephant Breathing is an exercise to reduce anxiety levels and to make you feel relaxed anyone can try.

Requirements

You will want to be sitting down on a comfy sofa or bed in a quiet environment so you can take notice of your breathing.

If you have a medical condition which affects your routine breathing pattern, we advise you seek medical advice before trying new breathing exercises.

How to

Sit of lay in a comfortable position, making sure your chest and stomach can expand with little resistance while breathing. Laying on your side is also fine.

When your ready:

  1. Take in a smooth deep breath for the length it takes you to say “Elephant” to yourself twice.
  2. Now pause and hold your breath for 1 Elephant.
  3. Slowly breath out for 3 Elephants.

Repeat this pattern of breathing 3 to 5 times in a single sitting.

Additional

Saying ‘elephant’ gives you a sense of time while breathing, regulating each individual breath.

This technique can be used once a day, before bedtime or napping.

It may take a couple of weeks before you begin to notice its benefits of relaxing your body and regulating your breathing. This is perfectly normal.