Benefits of Belly Breathing

Belly breathing or diaphragmatic breathing has important benefits, especially for kids and teens who are under a lot of stress or feeling intense emotions. It calms them down by slowing their heart rate and releasing endorphins (our feel-good hormones).

This helpful handout shows the benefits of belly breathing, along with a list of steps on how it’s done and tips to make belly breathing effective. You may use this to educate young people at home, in the classroom, and during therapy sessions.