In researching stress reduction for congestive heart failure patients, I believe that breathing techniques is the most cost effective method for both Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, and its patients.  This method is also easily incorporated into the patient’s very busy, and sometimes hectic, schedule.  The use of breathing techniques to reduce stress, also has the added benefits of reducing anxiety while enhancing relaxation.  The technique that will be used is called deep breathing.  Deep breathing is one of the best ways to lower stress in the body.  This is because when you breathe deeply, it sends a message to your brain to calm down and relax.  The brain then sends this message to your body.  Those things that happen when you are stressed, such as increased heart rate, fast breathing, and high blood pressure, all decrease as you breathe deeply to relax.  These particular deep breathing exercise is very easy to learn.  You can do them whenever you want, and you don’t need any special tools or equipment to do them.  The only challenge has been in researching the efficacy of this breathing technique on congestive heart failure patients.