Breathing Will Literally Save You From Stress

When we are little and we get upset about something, we are often told "take a deep breath". That seems to always be the advice a parent, teacher, or another wise person tells us. Because when we are super upset or stressed about something, sometimes the only thing we can focus on is the problem. Our breathing can become shallow and labored, so we are told to take a deep breath.

But why?

Taking a deep breath makes you focus on having a deep inhale and exhale. If it's not a normal breath for you, you have to think about it to make it deeper and longer. This takes the focus off of the problem you are upset about and instead onto the present moment: that breath you are taking in that exact moment. It may only be for a second, but reframing your thought pattern back to the present is essential for feeling better about a problem.

In addition to changing your mindset, deep breaths help you regulate your nervous system. Taking a deep breath and/or doing focused breathing (when you are actively controlling your breath such as alternate nostril breathing, as seen in photo to the right) slows down your breathing rate which stimulates your vagus nerve. Your vagus nerve runs from your brain stem down to your abdomen and is what controls your parasympathetic nervous system, which tells your body to go into "rest and digest" mode (opposite of the sympathetic nervous system which tells your body to go into "fight or flight" mode). Activating your parasympathetic nervous system allows your body to calm down and to not see the problem as a threat to survival. Doing this lets you think clearer about the situation and figure out a solution. Staying in that fight or flight mode does not allow you to think logically and your mind is so stressed it is just trying to keep you alive. Problems feel worse than they might when you are able to think clearly. Deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system which allows you to feel calmer and more relaxed.

In one of my favorite books, Do Your Om Thing, Rebecca Pacheco says "breathing purposefully helps to slow down our minds, calm the nervous system, reduce stress, improve circulation, and give organs a rest, among a host of other positive effects". What does breathing purposefully mean? It means breathing with attention. Focusing on slowing the rate. There are many breathing techniques in yoga that you can do to take your mind off everything else in the world and breath your attention back to your breath.

In a 2009 study by R.P. Brown and P.L. Gerbag ("Yoga Breathing, Meditation, and Longevity"), yogic breathing was found to increase our resilience to stress and reduce anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Although focused breathing can be done while practicing yoga on the mat, these techniques can also be done at your desk at work, when you need to step outside from a stressful social situation, or any other time on-the-go.

So next time you feel overwhelmed or upset, remember to take a deep breath or do a quick breathing exercise. If you want to see a video demonstration for alternate nostril breathing, comment here or send me a message on Instagram @palmtreeyogawithsara