Click on the Immersive Reader button located in the top right corner of this page, so you can have the following story read to you.

Schools Across Georgia begin deep breathing program to reduce stress

By Atlanta Journal-Constitution, adapted by Newsela staff

Ten-year-old Akshay Maheshwari likes helping others. He has just learned a new way to assist his classmates.

Akshay is a fifth-grader at Berkeley Lake Elementary School in Duluth, Georgia. He is part of a program that will help students worry less. They will be more relaxed.

The program is called Georgia Breathes. It kicked off September 11. The program involves four types of breaths. The breathing happens for four minutes straight. Schools will practice the program 40 days in a row.

Calm Breathing Helps Kids

Akshay said the program will help schools. He knows when people get angry they can hurt themselves or others. He thinks the breathing exercises help people feel better.

A growing number of studies show meditation helps children. Meditation helps people clear their minds. It calms their feelings. Being mindful of breathing is an important part of meditation. The studies show meditation helps children get along with others. It also helps them do better with school work.

The four types of breaths all use deep, slow breathing. They help lower negativity. Happy thoughts are created instead.

The "Breath of Joy" calls for swinging arms straight out with palms up. The "Washing Machine" uses twisting side to side. "Wake Up Mountain" gets students on their feet. They reach high. With "Lotus Breath," palms come together in front of the heart. Pinkies and thumbs are together. The rest of the fingers are apart. This looks like the lotus flower.

Program Creator Saw Too Much Worry Among Students

Cheryl Crawford started Georgia Breathes. Crawford is a longtime yoga teacher. Yoga is an exercise that uses meditation.

Crawford created Georgia Breathes after spending time at schools. She sensed high levels of worry. Students and teachers told her they were having trouble breathing. They were not relaxed.

When students and teachers start breathing together they feel connected, Crawford said. The program brings people together.

Crawford wants students to feel connected to their breathing, their classmates and even students at others schools.

Calm Breathing As A Habit

Crawford is asking schools to do the exercise for 40 days. It will become a habit. If the program helps students, schools will continue it for the whole year.

Georgia Breathes can help outside school, too. Nahile Guzman is a fifth-grader. Breathing exercises helped her at home. Guzman saw her 5-year-old sister get upset playing with Legos. She brought her younger sister and parents together. She led them in breathing exercises. They felt peaceful.

"I could tell everyone liked it," she said.