02/25/2026
Stressed + Anxious = more erratic & faster breathing 🫁
⬆️ This is one of the many reasons that ANY type of breathwork effectively calms us down and makes us feel less frazzled.
According to The Science of Meditation: How to Change Your Brain, Mind and Body, with "increased meditation practice, respiration rate can become gradually slower, potentially translating into better health and mood, along with less autonomic activity."
Of course, breathing isn't something we have to consciously make ourselves do, but in times of stress, our breath automatically (hence the "autonomic" in autonomic nervous system) responds by shortening and speeding up.
With practice, our breath can be used as a powerful tool to bring our stress levels down a notch (and help them stay there!).
"Breathwork" doesn't necessarily mean something facilitated by a practitioner. It can simply mean being more aware of your breath and purposely influencing it!
One of the main reasons breathwork is SO powerful is simple: deeper and slower breathing = more oxygen entering our cells.
How do we max these O2 benefits?
1️⃣ Breathe through your nose if possible
2️⃣ Expand the breath into your diaphragm (think DEEP in your lungs)
3️⃣ Keep a steady rhythm (breathe in for 4, hold for 4, out for 4, hold for 4, or 4-7-8- there are so many variations!)
4️⃣ Keep an open posture
While larger meta analysis need to be conducted, current reported benefits include:
✅ Increased feelings of comfort, relaxation
✅ Improved attention, sleep cycle, social connectedness and self-esteem
✅ Decreased anxiety, depression, physiological stress, and anxiety
And the good news? Even two minutes a day of noticing and taking intentional breaths can help.
