Your breath is one of the simplest ways to communicate safety to your nervous system. When we feel stressed, overwhelmed, or threatened, our breathing often becomes faster and shallower. And the threat doesn’t have to be a saber-toothed tiger. Our nervous systems can respond to a stressful email, upsetting video, conflict, or racing thought with many of the same stress-response systems designed to protect us from physical danger.
Try inhaling gently through your nose for 3 seconds, then slowly exhaling for 6 seconds. Repeat for several rounds without forcing the breath.
Why the longer exhale? Slowing the breath and extending the exhale can help shift the body toward parasympathetic activity, the part of the autonomic nervous system associated with rest and recovery. Think of the longer exhale as a message to your body: the danger is not here right now. You can soften. You can rest.
You don’t have to think your way into feeling calm. Sometimes, you can start with the body and let the mind follow.
