Day 2 – Try Breathing Exercises

[Greeting]

Welcome back to the Stress Management Challenge! You started day one with a 
journaling exercise, and today you’re going to do some breathing exercises.

Why Breathing Exercises? 

Breathing exercises help to relax your stress response, and balance out your nervous 
system. Deep, slow breaths can calm the nervous system, lower heart rate, and 
decrease cortisol levels, the stress hormone. They can also improve lung capacity, 
oxygenate the blood, and promote overall physical relaxation.

Start With a Simple One

There are various types of breathing exercises, such as diaphragmatic breathing, 
alternate nostril breathing, and 4-7-8 breathing, which involve inhaling, exhaling, and 
holding the breath in different patterns. 

For today, let’s keep it simple by doing a mindful breathing exercise. All you are going to 
do is sit quietly and calmly, and focus on your breathing. Don’t worry about what you are 
doing later, your to-do list, or any other thoughts. 

Take a big inhale, and focus only on your breath and how your body feels while inhaling 
the air. Hold it for a few seconds, and keep your mind still. Exhale and once again, stay 
mindful and focus only on your breathing.

Do this for 2-3 minutes, and see how much better you feel.

Today in the Workbook: Don’t miss day 2 in the workbook for more unique journal 
prompts, your daily affirmation, and a checklist for today.

Learn More: Check out today’s blog post to learn about breathing and exercises and 
tapping for relieving stress.

[Sign Off]




