Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsExercisesOther BenefitsHow Not to Breathe
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Exercises
Other Benefits
How Not to Breathe
Breathing exercises to lower blood pressure can help people living with hypertension (high blood pressure). High blood pressure is a common serious condition that increases the risk of stroke, kidney failure, and heart disease.Managinghigh blood pressureis key to living a healthy life.
Techniques like 4-7-8 breathing to lower blood pressure are safe, inexpensive, and easy to learn. Though breath work works quickly to lower blood pressure, regular practice of deep, slow breathing can also lower blood pressure long-term.
Breath Work DefinedBreath workis the practice of deliberately controlling your breath to produce a variety of emotional, mental, and physical benefits.
Breath Work Defined
Breath workis the practice of deliberately controlling your breath to produce a variety of emotional, mental, and physical benefits.
Types of Breathing Exercises for High Blood Pressure
1. 4-7-8 Breathing
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This type of breath focuses on a long exhale to slow down the breath and reduce blood pressure.To practice 4-7-8 breathing:
2. Alternate Nostril
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Alternate nostril breathing is a yoga breathing technique meant to induce a sense of calm that may also lower blood pressure.To practice alternate nostril breathing:
3. Box Breathing
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Box breathing focuses on slowing down the breath in an even pattern. To practicebox breathing:
4. Diaphragmatic Breathing
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Diaphragmatic breathing focuses on using the muscle at the bottom of your ribs, the diaphragm, and the abdominal muscles to achieve deep, full breaths. To practice diaphragmatic breathing:
5. Pursed Lip Breathing
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Pursed lip breathing emphasizes long exhales. To practice pursed lip breathing:
6. Lion’s Breath
Lion’s breath can help release stress. To practice lion’s breath:
Powerful Breathing Exercises to Lower Your Blood Pressure
7. Ujjayi Pranayama
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Ujjayi pranayama is also known as yogic breathing. This breath is typically used when practicing yoga poses. To practice ujjayi:
To Lower Blood Pressure During a Spike
If you notice that yourblood pressure is elevated, find a comfortable place to sit and begin breathing slowly and deliberately. You can use any of the breathing techniques listed here.
Some people also find that closing their eyes and drawing their attention to their breath helps them shut out the stresses of the world around them and makes relaxation easier. This allows them to concentrate fully on the breathing exercise.
Everyday Breathing
Using one or more of the breathing techniques discussed here to breathe mindfully for at least 15 minutes daily has immediate and longer-term effects on blood pressure. Though these breathing techniques can all lower blood pressure during a spike, practicing them regularly can help maintain a lower blood pressure.
Most people take 12 to 20 breaths per minute. Slowbreathing techniques lowerthe rate to four to 10 breaths a minute.
Taking time each day to breathe in a slow, deliberate manner can have positive effects on the cardiovascular system.
Other Ways to Lower Blood PressureNeed to lower blood pressure further? Try these other non-medicated ways:Lose excess weight.Reduce/eliminate alcohol, lower sodium consumption, and adopt aheart-healthy eating patternlike theDietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet.Do not smoke.Exercise regularly and spend less time sitting.Get enough sleep.Find ways to relax, like practicing yoga.In some cases, medication may be necessary to manage high blood pressure.
Other Ways to Lower Blood Pressure
Need to lower blood pressure further? Try these other non-medicated ways:Lose excess weight.Reduce/eliminate alcohol, lower sodium consumption, and adopt aheart-healthy eating patternlike theDietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet.Do not smoke.Exercise regularly and spend less time sitting.Get enough sleep.Find ways to relax, like practicing yoga.In some cases, medication may be necessary to manage high blood pressure.
Need to lower blood pressure further? Try these other non-medicated ways:
In some cases, medication may be necessary to manage high blood pressure.
Added Benefits With Comorbidities
Breath work can improve symptoms of a variety of other conditions. People with comorbidities (other conditions alongside high blood pressure) may experience additional benefits when practicing breath work, including:
After beginning a breath work practice, you might notice how your normal breathing changes. With breath work, you work to slow down the breath and fully engage the respiration muscles, such as the diaphragm.
Before practicing breath work, it is common to breathe in a manner where the diaphragm and other muscles of respiration are not fully engaged. The breath is often shallow, barely causing an expansion in the ribs.
Mouth breathing is another common way people breathe that is not as efficient or beneficial to the body and overall health.Breath work helps to correct these habits.
Breathing through the nose and practicing deep diaphragmatic breaths that cause the belly and ribs to expand help to produce the benefits of breath work. Shifting to this type of breathing on a regular basis can improve overall health.
Summary
Many different breathing exercises can help lower blood pressure. These include the 4-7-8 breathing technique, box breathing, and lion’s breath. Practicing one or more of these breath work techniques can help lower a sudden blood pressure spike and may also have a long-term effect on lowering blood pressure.
People with other conditions who practice breathing techniques may experience added benefits. This includes a reduction in anxiety, a higher quality of life for people with cancer, and increased cardiorespiratory fitness for people with heart failure.
Paying attention to the breath can also help shift habits from shallow breathing and mouth breathing to deep diaphragmatic breathing. This type of breathing, in which the lungs and muscles of respiration are used at their full capacity, can help overall health.
12 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Herawati I, Mat Ludin AF, Mutalazimah M, et al.Breathing exercise for hypertensive patients: a scoping review.Front Physiol. 2023;14:1048338. doi:10.3389/fphys.2023.1048338Brandani JZ, Mizuno J, Ciolac EG, Monteiro HL.The hypotensive effect of yoga’s breathing exercises: a systematic review.Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2017;28:38-46. doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2017.05.002Fincham GW, Strauss C, Montero-Marin J, Cavanagh K.Effect of breathwork on stress and mental health: a meta-analysis of randomised-controlled trials.Sci Rep. 2023;13(1):432. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-27247-yVierra J, Boonla O, Prasertsri P.Effects of sleep deprivation and 4-7-8 breathing control on heart rate variability, blood pressure, blood glucose, and endothelial function in healthy young adults.Physiol Rep. 2022;10(13):e15389. doi:10.14814/phy2.15389Kalaivani S, Kumari MJ, Pal GK.Effect of alternate nostril breathing exercise on blood pressure, heart rate, and rate pressure product among patients with hypertension in JIPMER, Puducherry.J Educ Health Promot. 2019;8:145. doi:10.4103/jehp.jehp_32_19Natarajan A, Emir-Farinas H, Su HW.Mindful breathing as an effective technique in the management of hypertension.Front Physiol. 2024;14:1339873. doi:10.3389/fphys.2023.1339873Russo MA, Santarelli DM, O’Rourke D.The physiological effects of slow breathing in the healthy human.Breathe (Sheff). 2017;13(4):298-309. doi:10.1183/20734735.009817National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What is high blood pressure?Hamasaki H.Effects of diaphragmatic breathing on health: a narrative review.Medicines (Basel). 2020;7(10):65. doi:10.3390/medicines7100065U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.The power of breath: diaphragmatic breathing.Lörinczi F, Vanderka M, Lörincziová D, Kushkestani M.Nose vs. mouth breathing— acute effect of different breathing regimens on muscular endurance.BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2024;16(1):42. doi:10.1186/s13102-024-00840-6Watso JC, Cuba JN, Boutwell SL, et al.Acute nasal breathing lowers diastolic blood pressure and increases parasympathetic contributions to heart rate variability in young adults.Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2023;325(6):R797-R808. doi:10.1152/ajpregu.00148.2023
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Herawati I, Mat Ludin AF, Mutalazimah M, et al.Breathing exercise for hypertensive patients: a scoping review.Front Physiol. 2023;14:1048338. doi:10.3389/fphys.2023.1048338Brandani JZ, Mizuno J, Ciolac EG, Monteiro HL.The hypotensive effect of yoga’s breathing exercises: a systematic review.Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2017;28:38-46. doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2017.05.002Fincham GW, Strauss C, Montero-Marin J, Cavanagh K.Effect of breathwork on stress and mental health: a meta-analysis of randomised-controlled trials.Sci Rep. 2023;13(1):432. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-27247-yVierra J, Boonla O, Prasertsri P.Effects of sleep deprivation and 4-7-8 breathing control on heart rate variability, blood pressure, blood glucose, and endothelial function in healthy young adults.Physiol Rep. 2022;10(13):e15389. doi:10.14814/phy2.15389Kalaivani S, Kumari MJ, Pal GK.Effect of alternate nostril breathing exercise on blood pressure, heart rate, and rate pressure product among patients with hypertension in JIPMER, Puducherry.J Educ Health Promot. 2019;8:145. doi:10.4103/jehp.jehp_32_19Natarajan A, Emir-Farinas H, Su HW.Mindful breathing as an effective technique in the management of hypertension.Front Physiol. 2024;14:1339873. doi:10.3389/fphys.2023.1339873Russo MA, Santarelli DM, O’Rourke D.The physiological effects of slow breathing in the healthy human.Breathe (Sheff). 2017;13(4):298-309. doi:10.1183/20734735.009817National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What is high blood pressure?Hamasaki H.Effects of diaphragmatic breathing on health: a narrative review.Medicines (Basel). 2020;7(10):65. doi:10.3390/medicines7100065U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.The power of breath: diaphragmatic breathing.Lörinczi F, Vanderka M, Lörincziová D, Kushkestani M.Nose vs. mouth breathing— acute effect of different breathing regimens on muscular endurance.BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2024;16(1):42. doi:10.1186/s13102-024-00840-6Watso JC, Cuba JN, Boutwell SL, et al.Acute nasal breathing lowers diastolic blood pressure and increases parasympathetic contributions to heart rate variability in young adults.Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2023;325(6):R797-R808. doi:10.1152/ajpregu.00148.2023
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Herawati I, Mat Ludin AF, Mutalazimah M, et al.Breathing exercise for hypertensive patients: a scoping review.Front Physiol. 2023;14:1048338. doi:10.3389/fphys.2023.1048338Brandani JZ, Mizuno J, Ciolac EG, Monteiro HL.The hypotensive effect of yoga’s breathing exercises: a systematic review.Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2017;28:38-46. doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2017.05.002Fincham GW, Strauss C, Montero-Marin J, Cavanagh K.Effect of breathwork on stress and mental health: a meta-analysis of randomised-controlled trials.Sci Rep. 2023;13(1):432. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-27247-yVierra J, Boonla O, Prasertsri P.Effects of sleep deprivation and 4-7-8 breathing control on heart rate variability, blood pressure, blood glucose, and endothelial function in healthy young adults.Physiol Rep. 2022;10(13):e15389. doi:10.14814/phy2.15389Kalaivani S, Kumari MJ, Pal GK.Effect of alternate nostril breathing exercise on blood pressure, heart rate, and rate pressure product among patients with hypertension in JIPMER, Puducherry.J Educ Health Promot. 2019;8:145. doi:10.4103/jehp.jehp_32_19Natarajan A, Emir-Farinas H, Su HW.Mindful breathing as an effective technique in the management of hypertension.Front Physiol. 2024;14:1339873. doi:10.3389/fphys.2023.1339873Russo MA, Santarelli DM, O’Rourke D.The physiological effects of slow breathing in the healthy human.Breathe (Sheff). 2017;13(4):298-309. doi:10.1183/20734735.009817National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What is high blood pressure?Hamasaki H.Effects of diaphragmatic breathing on health: a narrative review.Medicines (Basel). 2020;7(10):65. doi:10.3390/medicines7100065U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.The power of breath: diaphragmatic breathing.Lörinczi F, Vanderka M, Lörincziová D, Kushkestani M.Nose vs. mouth breathing— acute effect of different breathing regimens on muscular endurance.BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2024;16(1):42. doi:10.1186/s13102-024-00840-6Watso JC, Cuba JN, Boutwell SL, et al.Acute nasal breathing lowers diastolic blood pressure and increases parasympathetic contributions to heart rate variability in young adults.Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2023;325(6):R797-R808. doi:10.1152/ajpregu.00148.2023
Herawati I, Mat Ludin AF, Mutalazimah M, et al.Breathing exercise for hypertensive patients: a scoping review.Front Physiol. 2023;14:1048338. doi:10.3389/fphys.2023.1048338
Brandani JZ, Mizuno J, Ciolac EG, Monteiro HL.The hypotensive effect of yoga’s breathing exercises: a systematic review.Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2017;28:38-46. doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2017.05.002
Fincham GW, Strauss C, Montero-Marin J, Cavanagh K.Effect of breathwork on stress and mental health: a meta-analysis of randomised-controlled trials.Sci Rep. 2023;13(1):432. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-27247-y
Vierra J, Boonla O, Prasertsri P.Effects of sleep deprivation and 4-7-8 breathing control on heart rate variability, blood pressure, blood glucose, and endothelial function in healthy young adults.Physiol Rep. 2022;10(13):e15389. doi:10.14814/phy2.15389
Kalaivani S, Kumari MJ, Pal GK.Effect of alternate nostril breathing exercise on blood pressure, heart rate, and rate pressure product among patients with hypertension in JIPMER, Puducherry.J Educ Health Promot. 2019;8:145. doi:10.4103/jehp.jehp_32_19
Natarajan A, Emir-Farinas H, Su HW.Mindful breathing as an effective technique in the management of hypertension.Front Physiol. 2024;14:1339873. doi:10.3389/fphys.2023.1339873
Russo MA, Santarelli DM, O’Rourke D.The physiological effects of slow breathing in the healthy human.Breathe (Sheff). 2017;13(4):298-309. doi:10.1183/20734735.009817
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What is high blood pressure?
Hamasaki H.Effects of diaphragmatic breathing on health: a narrative review.Medicines (Basel). 2020;7(10):65. doi:10.3390/medicines7100065
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.The power of breath: diaphragmatic breathing.
Lörinczi F, Vanderka M, Lörincziová D, Kushkestani M.Nose vs. mouth breathing— acute effect of different breathing regimens on muscular endurance.BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2024;16(1):42. doi:10.1186/s13102-024-00840-6
Watso JC, Cuba JN, Boutwell SL, et al.Acute nasal breathing lowers diastolic blood pressure and increases parasympathetic contributions to heart rate variability in young adults.Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2023;325(6):R797-R808. doi:10.1152/ajpregu.00148.2023
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