28 AUG 2018: Did you breathe today? Yes, you have used your lungs to exchange carbon dioxide and oxygen — the average person does that around 20,000 times each day — but, I’m going to ask again, did you breathe?

I mean really filled your lungs, and exhaled with a soul satisfying ‘ahhh…’

Taking a deep breath is one of life’s simple pleasures, and, one of the easiest things you can do to improve your physical and mental health.

How does your breathing feel right now? Light, barely audible with the exception of a soft nose whistle? Or is it quick and shallow, matching the pace of a racing heartbeat. The latter is your stress response, the one that prepares your body to fight or flight from danger.

Stress itself is not necessarily a bad thing; in fact, it’s what keeps us alive in the face of imminent danger. We mobilize fuel by releasing sugar into the blood for our muscles to use to run or fight back. We get our heart pumping and increase our heart rate to bring blood and fuel to our extremities. We also put all extracurriculars, digestive function and immune system activities, on hold to focus all of our available energy on staying alive. But when this stress response is constantly stimulated we don’t allow these responses to come down and normalize. Consistently high blood pressure, high blood sugar, poor digestion, and dampened immune system functioning, all start to become problems.

Not so ironically, all of the above are major symptoms of almost all modern-day illnesses. The conversation on restoring health often zones in on diet and what you should or shouldn’t be eating, but if you try adding drastic dietary changes/restrictions to your already hectic lifestyle, what that ultimately boils down to, is even more stress. Proper nourishment is important, absolutely, but the body also needs to rest in order to recuperate and heal.

Stressful situations can be found around every corner and a state of relaxation seems to be further from reach than ever before. But rest and rejuvenation for better health can be yours, and for much less than you think.

All you have to do is breathe inside the box.

I’m not talking about a modified version of hyperventilating into a paper bag, either. Box Breathing is simply a slow and controlled deep breathing technique that turns stress into serenity, and chaos into calm.

You can do it anywhere, anytime, here’s what you do.

Sit comfortably, feet on the floor and close your eyes, or simply lower your gaze and focus on a single point in front of you.

1.    Breathe in for a count of four seconds.
2.    Pause at the top of your breath and hold your lungs full for four-seconds.
3.    Exhale for four-seconds.
4.    Hold at the bottom for four-seconds before beginning your next inhale.

Repeat these steps for a few minutes at a time, or until you feel your heart rate normalize and your body relax. Of course if this is new, feel free to start with a lower count, and work your way up as your lung capacity improves.

While any form of deep breathing is capable of providing a sense of relaxation, box breathing has a way of resetting the rhythm of your breath. It shifts your body out of the state of stress and into the state of calm. There have been multiple studies that have examined this particular technique and found many impressive results including, improved focus and attention, improved oxygenation of the body, lower cortisol levels, and reduced levels of anxiety. Not to mention, those who practice box breathing regularly noted a more positive emotional outlook and better resiliency to stressful situations.

There are an overwhelming amount of unpleasant external circumstances that are beyond our control. Just remember that you always have control over your response to these situations. While a consistent box breathing practice had the most drastic improvements for study participants, it still had very positive effects in the short term. So whether you’ll be traveling, visiting in-laws, leading a work presentation, battling rush hour traffic, or whatever other stressful situation you’ll find yourself in, use box breathing as a way to focus and shake off the extra nerves. You might even change your life.