TAke a Deep Breath
We all know how to breathe, right? Not always. Research indicates that there is a correlation between the way you breathe and the way you think and feel. Decades of exposure to stressors can make it easy to forget natural breath patterns.
When humans are stressed in a “fight or flight” manner, the heart beats faster, breath becomes quick and shallow, and the nervous system goes on high alert. All of this impacts our heart health over time. On the opposite side, when the body is in a relaxed/unthreatened state, it functions well and works to regulate our organs and hormones. In a healthy human being, our bodies are designed to move into stress and then return to a healthy, calm state once they realize there is no immediate threat.
Due to unconscious habit, it’s not uncommon for our breathing to be stuck in “fight or flight” patterns even when threats have passed. This increases the burden of stress on your heart, immune system, emotional and cognitive functions.
Luckily, healthful breath patterns can be easily practiced to become habit. Mindful slow and deep breathing is an effective way to relax and calm the body, moving the breath back to the belly and out of the chest, where it tends to remain when we are under stress.
Try the box breathing technique used by athletes, US Navy SEALS, police officers and nurses.
How to do box breathing
When humans are stressed in a “fight or flight” manner, the heart beats faster, breath becomes quick and shallow, and the nervous system goes on high alert. All of this impacts our heart health over time. On the opposite side, when the body is in a relaxed/unthreatened state, it functions well and works to regulate our organs and hormones. In a healthy human being, our bodies are designed to move into stress and then return to a healthy, calm state once they realize there is no immediate threat.
Due to unconscious habit, it’s not uncommon for our breathing to be stuck in “fight or flight” patterns even when threats have passed. This increases the burden of stress on your heart, immune system, emotional and cognitive functions.
Luckily, healthful breath patterns can be easily practiced to become habit. Mindful slow and deep breathing is an effective way to relax and calm the body, moving the breath back to the belly and out of the chest, where it tends to remain when we are under stress.
Try the box breathing technique used by athletes, US Navy SEALS, police officers and nurses.
How to do box breathing
- Breathe out slowly, releasing all the air from your lungs.
- Breathe in through your nose as you slowly count to four in your head. ...
- Hold your breath for a count of four.
- Exhale for another count of four.
- Hold your breath again for a count of four.
- Repeat for three to four rounds.