Mind Strategies: Rewire Your Response

Breathing for Stress – Learn to Use Simple Breathing Techniques to Calm Your Nervous System

Stress is often described as a mental or emotional state, but in reality, it is a full-body response. When you feel anxious or under pressure, your body’s sympathetic nervous system kicks in—your heart rate rises, muscles tense, and stress hormones like cortisol flood your bloodstream.

This ancient “fight-or-flight” response was designed to protect us from danger, but in modern life, it is triggered by emails, deadlines, and daily worries.

One of the simplest, fastest ways to break this cycle is through breathwork. By deliberately changing how you breathe, you can send a powerful message to your nervous system: you are safe, it’s time to calm down.

The Science: How The Breath Works

Breathing is unique because it is both automatic and under conscious control. This gives us a direct line into our nervous system. When you slow your breathing, particularly with a focus on deep exhalation, you activate the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS)—the body’s “rest and digest” mode.

• Short, rapid breaths (like those during stress) reinforce the fight-or-flight response.

• Slow, deep breaths reduce heart rate, lower blood pressure, and decrease cortisol.

A 2017 systematic review in Frontiers in Psychology found that slow breathing techniques reliably reduce anxiety, lower stress hormone levels, and improve heart rate variability, a key marker of resilience [1].

Another study published in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry showed that practising breathing-based interventions (such as Sudarshan Kriya Yoga) significantly reduced stress and symptoms of anxiety and depression in participants [2].

Three Evidence-Based Breathing Techniques

1. Box Breathing (4-4-4-4)

• How: Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds → hold for 4 → exhale through your mouth for 4 → hold for 4.

• Why it works: Balances the nervous system, improves focus, and is used by athletes and even the military for stress regulation [3].

2. The 4-7-8 Technique

• How: Inhale quietly through the nose for 4 seconds → hold your breath for 7 → exhale forcefully through the mouth for 8.

• Why it works: Acts as a “natural tranquiliser” for the nervous system. Research suggests it helps with falling asleep and reducing pre-bedtime stress [4].

3. Belly Breathing (Diaphragmatic Breathing)

• How: Place a hand on your stomach. Inhale slowly through your nose so your belly rises → exhale slowly through your mouth so your belly falls.

• Why it works: Promotes full oxygen exchange, slows the heartbeat, and stabilises blood pressure [5].

Breathing and Stress Resilience

These techniques don’t just work in the moment—they build long-term resilience. Practising them regularly trains your nervous system to recover more quickly from stress.

Combined with other WHiL principles—like Circadian Rhythm (protecting your sleep) and Hydration (supporting your body’s stress buffering systems), breathwork becomes even more powerful.

Practical Tips to Get Started

• Practice one technique once a day for a week.

• Use breathing as a “reset button” before stressful events (meetings, difficult conversations).

• Pair breathing with morning or evening routines to create consistency.

• If your mind wanders, gently bring focus back to the rhythm of your breath.