Breathing techniques to beat stress in dentistry

Christopher Paul Jones shares how to harness the power of your breath to cope with stress and anxiety in dentistry.

According to British Dental Association (BDA) survey data revealed last summer, the proportion of practice owners and associates who would recommend a career as a dentist in 2015 reduced by more than 10% in 2023. Stress plays a huge part in denting morale, and there is no shortage of triggers: practice costs, patient complaints, staffing issues and NHS targets are just a few.

One simple yet effective method to manage your stress and anxiety is to focus on your breathing. Engaging in deep breathing exercises during stressful times helps to shift the body’s balance away from the stress responses of fight, flight or freeze and towards relaxation and restoration.

Each breath acts as a message to the brain that there is no immediate physical danger, allowing our physiological functions to return to baseline levels. This reduces the production of stress hormones, lowers blood pressure, and slows the heart rate, leading to a state of calm and improved mental clarity. And by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, controlled breathing helps the body to conserve energy and recuperate more efficiently after stress.

There are a variety of stress reducing breathing techniques, but here are two to try. 

Diaphragmatic breathing

This technique involves deep breathing through the diaphragm rather than shallow chest breathing. When you breathe deeply through your diaphragm, the lungs expand more fully, increasing oxygen exchange which can help lower the heart rate and blood pressure. 

When you breathe deeply through the diaphragm, it pushes down into the abdomen, increasing the volume of the thoracic cavity and allowing the lungs to expand more fully. This greater lung expansion leads to a more significant intake of oxygen and more efficient expulsion of carbon dioxide.

These are the steps to follow:

• Position: lie down on your back or sit comfortably, placing one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen to monitor your breathing pattern
• Inhale: slowly breathe in through your nose, ensuring that the diaphragm (not the chest) inflates with enough air to create a stretch in the lungs. Your abdomen should rise significantly more than your chest
• Hold: hold your breath for a few seconds
• Exhale: Exhale slowly and steadily through the mouth, pursing the lips slightly. The hand on your abdomen should move in as you empty completely
• Repeat: perform this cycle for five to 10 minutes to reduce stress and increase oxygen flow.

4-7-8 breathing

Developed by Dr Andrew Weil, this breathing pattern is designed to be a natural tranquilliser for the nervous system. To practise, breathe in for a count of four, hold the breath for a count of seven, and exhale slowly for a count of eight. This helps to control the rhythm of breathing and can be particularly effective in reducing anxiety or helping to induce sleep.

The pattern of holding the breath and then slowly exhaling increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the blood, which can help enhance the cardiopulmonary connection. This breathing rhythm can influence the brain’s chemistry through increased production of calming hormones like endorphins.

These are the steps to follow.

• Exhale: begin by parting your lips and making a whooshing sound as you exhale completely through your mouth
• Inhale: close your lips, inhaling silently through your nose as you mentally count to four
• Hold: hold your breath for a count of seven
• Exhale: again, exhale completely through your mouth, making a whooshing sound for a count of eight
• Repeat: this cycle is repeated for four full breaths and can be practised twice a day to manage anxiety or before sleep.

Through conscious effort and regular practice, anyone can harness the power of their breath to cope with stress. 

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