Square Breathing: It Really Works

I hate going to the doctor. I have never walked away from a visit with my physician thinking, “I really want to do this more often.” When I do go, I am extremely anxious. The first thing they want to do is weigh me so that I can be reminded that I need to exercise more and eat healthier. Then they want to take my blood pressure. I know where this is going. The first measure almost always results in a high reading that has the doctor reaching for her pen to write me a prescription for blood pressure medicine. There is actually a name for what happens to people like me who have an initially high blood pressure reading. It is called White Lab Coat Syndrome. When they give me enough time to calm my nerves, the reading typically falls into the normal range.

So, for my doctor visit today, I conducted an experiment. I let the nurse take my blood pressure without doing anything to try to calm myself. As expected, the high reading elicited what was almost a gasp from the nurse. She agreed to step out and wait a few minutes before checking it again.

While she was out, I did a deep breathing practice called square breathing. I breathed in to a count of four, held my breath for a count of four, breathed out for a count of four, and then held my breath for a count of four. I did about 5 rounds of this breath practice before the nurse came back in. She strapped the cuff back on and tested again. This time, instead of a gasp, the reading drew a smile from her. My systolic pressure had dropped 20 points and my diastolic pressure had dropped 12 points. All that from a few minutes of deep breathing.

In addition to lowering blood pressure, studies have shown that deep breathing practices can reduce stress and anxiety. Breath practice can also improve focal attention. These studies show that deep breathing triggers the bodies parasympathetic nervous system and reduces level of cortisol in the body. And the beauty of deep breathing practices is that you can do it at any time and in any setting. If you are sitting in court, and opposing counsel says something that enrages you to the point of losing focus, you can simply stop and do a few rounds of square breathing. This will allow you to restore your focus and respond more effectively.

So, whether you are at the doctor’s office or in court, give it a try. Your heart and your client will thank you.