Threats can encourage your body to release hormones that can make you feel anxious and tense. When this happens, your blood flow and breathing increase as you instinctively prepare to fight or flee from the threat. When the threat is gone, your system typically returns to normal.

When you are exposed to consistent low or high levels of stress the fight or flight response of anxiety and muscle tension can become chronic, increasing these sensations as well as physical pain and depression. This can make just getting through the day seem challenging.

One tool that you can use anywhere is a simple centering breath. It does not require any equipment and just takes a few moments but the benefits are lasting.

• Find a comfortable position that allows your chest and belly to expand. This might be seated or lying down.
• Gently rest your left hand near your heart and your right hand on your lower abdomen.
• Breathe in slowly through both nostrils filling your chest and belly with air then pause for a second or two before you exhale. If the pause feels stressful, think about your body receiving the benefits of your inhalation.
• Breathe out through your nose emptying the air from your belly then your chest full. Pause again before your next inhalation. If the pause feels stressful, focus on releasing the tension that you may be holding.
• Continue to inhale and exhale slowly and fully for a total of 10 rounds of breath.

This breathing process can slow your heart rate, reduce pain, and break the cycle of stress. Addressing stressors from a centered mind and relaxed body can result in better outcomes.

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Bailey, Karyn. “The Power of the Breath.” Yale School of Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, Apr. 2024, medicine.yale.edu/news-article/the-power-of-the-breath/.

“Just Breathe: Using Breathwork for Wellbeing.” Arizona.edu, 4 Apr. 2024, awcim.arizona.edu/health_hub/awcimagazine/just_breathe_using_breathwork_for_wellbeing.html.

“Simple breathing exercises to help you manage stress.” December 4. 2024 American Lung Association. https://www.lung.org/blog/stress-breathing-exercises