Breathe With Me. A Calming Breathing Game for Your Gut
When your tummy is cramping or bloated, your breath is a tool you always have with you. In this calming game, a friendly tummy breathes with you. Hold the button as you breathe in, let go as you breathe out, and watch the tummy relax from tense to calm.
How to play
- Pick a breathing pattern and a session length of 1, 3 or 5 minutes.
- Choose Play to hold a button while you breathe in, or Relax to simply follow along.
- Rate how your tummy feels before you start and again at the end.
- Stay in sync with the dotted ring to fill your calm meter.
- Come back each day to build your calm streak.
Why slow breathing helps your gut
Your gut and brain are linked by the vagus nerve. When you are stressed, your body shifts into fight or flight mode, and the gut can cramp, speed up or become more sensitive to pain. Slow belly breathing helps switch on the rest and digest mode instead.
A 2018 review looked at many slow breathing studies. Breathing at around 6 breaths a minute was linked with calmer nerves, less anxiety and better mood. That is exactly what the Calm belly pattern in this game does, with 4 seconds in and 6 seconds out.
Which pattern should I choose?
- Calm belly. The best everyday choice, and a good place to start during a flare-up.
- Box breathing. Equal counts of 4. Great when you feel anxious before a meal or a busy day.
- Sleepy 4, 7, 8. A longer out-breath to help you wind down before bed.
Breathing works best alongside the right food choices. Read my guide on how to calm an IBS flare-up, browse my IBS guides, or relax a little longer in Gut Garden.
Frequently asked questions
Can breathing really help IBS?
It can help many people. Guidelines for IBS support gut and brain therapies, and relaxed breathing is a simple part of many of these programmes. It works best when you practise often, not only on bad days.
Is it safe for everyone?
Gentle breathing is safe for most people. If you feel dizzy, stop and breathe normally. Speak to your doctor if you have a heart or lung condition.
Is this game medical advice?
No. It is a calm way to support your wellbeing. Please see a doctor if your tummy pain is severe, new or comes with warning signs like blood in your stool or weight loss.
Game created by Dt. Hashika Vyas, a dietitian who healed her own IBS. Based on Zaccaro and team, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 2018.