Life in agriculture is fast moving. There’s always something that needs to be done, keep an eye on, or taken care of right away: checking livestock, fixing fence, harvesting crops, keeping tabs on market prices, watching the weather, bills to pay and more. Then there’s keeping up with your family and personal life. Add in any unexpected events, and it can feel like there’s barely time to breathe and can take a toll on anyone’s mental health.
This was true for me over this past year. My dad’s health declined last fall, and for months I was traveling back and forth across the state to support my parents. Then, shortly after he passed, I was faced with my own health issues. In the midst of it all, we were still running the farm and taking care of our family.
One of the tools that helped me through those hard months, and still today, is something incredibly simple: breathwork.
You don’t need any gear, and you don’t need to leave the farm. It’s just taking a few intentional minutes to pause and breathe. Breathwork helps me feel more grounded, less reactive, and better equipped to handle what the day throws at me.
While it’s not a replacement for counseling or more intensive mental health support, breathwork is backed by science and can be a valuable preventative tool. Studies have shown that even just a few minutes a day can help reduce stress, improve sleep, and increase resilience during difficult times (Fincham et al., 2023; Banushi et al., 2023; Price et al., 2023).
Table of contents
Video: Breathing Techniques for Everyday Stress Relief for Farmers
In this video, I walk through six breathing techniques that can be used anytime and anywhere, whether you’re in the barn, tractor, or at the kitchen table. Each one is easy to learn and only takes a few minutes to practice:
- Deep Belly Breathing (5-5) – A calming breath to center your mind and body.
- Equal Breathing (4-2-4) – A quick reset for in-between tasks.
- Extended Exhale (4-6) – Great when you’re feeling anxious or overwhelmed.
- Box Breathing (4-4-4-4) – A structured breath to regain focus.
- Relaxing Breath (4-7-8) – Perfect before bed or after a long day.
- Energizing Breath (4-2) – A mid-day boost when energy dips.
One of the other ways I like to practice breathwork is to use it along with guided meditation. My favorite is to use the Calm app, but there are alot of other options available in your app store or even on YouTube. I like the “Dailies” which are 6-7 minutes in length, which are easy to make time for. They also are nice to do in the morning since it can help set the tone for the day. If you’re interested in trying Calm, here’s guest pass, which is a free 30-day trial (longer than their usual 7-day trial) to try it out and see what you think.
Video: Sitting and resting positions for doing breathwork
You don’t have to practice them all. Just pick one that resonates with you and try it for a few minutes a day. Start small, during your morning coffee, waiting for the water tank to fill, or while sitting in the pickup between tasks. The more I’ve made space for it in my day, the more I’ve felt the difference.
Stress is part of life on the farm, but that doesn’t mean we can’t find small ways to take care of ourselves. If these breathing techniques help even one more farmer feel more grounded and present, then that’s a win in my book.
Breathwork isn’t intended to be a substitute for other mental health support services, such as counseling. It can work well along side other approaches, or even serve as a preventative measure well before extreme stress sets in.
Rural Route magazine feature on breathwork and farmer wellbeing
Recently an article I wrote on this topic was featured in the Wisconsin Farm Bureau’s Rural Route magazine. You can read it below by clicking here or on the graphic.
Other farmer mental health resources
Here are a number of farmer mental health resources for farmers or others who work in agriculture:
- If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org
- Farm State of Mind: resource page for farmer and rancher mental health wellness
- Wisconsin Farmer Wellness Program: hotline for Wisconsin farmers through the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Protection
References
- Fincham, G.W., Strauss, C., Montero-Marin, J., & Cavanagh, K. (2023). Effect of breathwork on stress and mental health: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Scientific Reports, 13, 432. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-27247-y
- Banushi, B., et al. (2023). Breathwork interventions for adults with clinically diagnosed anxiety disorders: a scoping review. Brain Sciences, 13(2), 256. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13020256
- Price et al. (2023). Women’s experiences with yoga after a cancer diagnosis: a qualitative meta-synthesis—part I. Systematic Reviews, 12, 176. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-023-02350-x
Originally published: July 30, 2025.
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