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Breathing Exercises to Control Blood Pressure

Breathing deeply can help lower blood pressure. It relaxes the body and lowers the heart rate, reducing the chronic stress and tension that is thought to raise blood pressure. Deep breathing may also help the body to process the salt that contributes to high blood pressure more effectively. Breathing exercises are not a substitute for a healthy diet, exercise and medicine but can provide an extra boost in fighting high blood pressure.

  1. Abdominal Breathing

    • Abdominal breathing is a great technique because once you learn it, you can keep doing it to breathe slowly all day. To start off with, lay down on your back and place a book on top of your belly. Breathe into your stomach so that the book rises with your breath while your chest stays still. At the top of your breath, pause for a moment and then breathe out. Continue breathing in and out as slowly and evenly as possible. You don't want to feel tense or make sudden movements with your stomach muscles. Practice this technique for at least 20 breaths or until you feel like you've got a handle on it.

    More Abdominal Breathing

    • Once you've got the basics of abdominal breathing, try doing it sitting upright. Sit down in a chair with your back straight, one hand on your belly and the other hand on your chest. Breathe into your belly so that you push the hand on it outwards while the hand on your chest doesn't move. Then, breathe out again letting your belly move back in while your chest stays still. Practice this technique for another 20 breaths or so. Once you've got a feel for abdominal breathing, try to keep doing it throughout the day. You will breathe slower and more deeply, which should help your blood pressure. You should also try to sit down or lie down and practice abdominal breathing consciously for at least 10 minutes a day.

    Yoga Breathing

    • Yoga breathing builds on abdominal breathing, but allows you to take in a fuller breath. Start by lying on your back again and breathing into your abdomen while keeping your chest still (don't use a book this time). Once you've taken as much air into your abdomen as you can, expand your chest to fill your lungs more completely. When your lungs are full, hold your breath for a few moments and then breathe out slowly. First, let your chest fall and then let your abdomen lower. Practice breathing slowly and deeply using this technique for a least a few minutes every day. With practice, you can slow down your breathing to a few breaths per minute and increase your lung capacity.

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