"Take 10 breaths" is so cliché
“Just take a deep breath”.
It’s the age-old advice you receive from well intending others when you’re wound up, stressed, nervous, over-excited. (Often not appreciated when the advice-giver is the source of the frustration!).
It’s one of the most simple, effective, (free) and under-utilized tools out there.
It sounds cliché, but annoyingly… it actually works. Hear us out…
Running from a saber tooth tiger… Or giving a speech in front of 100 people?
Ever felt your heart racing with public speaking? Felt jittery when running late for a meeting? Noticed a loss of appetite when working to meet strict deadlines? Or finding it difficult to switch off at night?
Our evolutionary brain was wired to move into a ‘sympathetic’ drive when we were faced with threats in the environment (predators, competition for a mate) or challenges (hunting for food); preparing the body to either fight the threat, run away from it or chase down dinner.
The problem is that our evolutionary brain does not always do a good job these days at distinguishing between real, life threatening cues in the environment, and the everyday challenges of life!
These things aren’t as threatening as our cavemen ancestors suffered, but we respond the same way.
And without the release that the escape or food run would have provided, we can get ‘stuck’ in this sympathetic state.
These days, we call this STRESS.
What is it about breathing that helps to relieve stress?
The system responsible for controlling the Fight or Flight vs Rest and Digest state is known as the autonomic nervous system.
The autonomic nervous system can be split into two branches - the sympathetic nervous system (‘fight or flight’), and the parasympathetic nervous system (‘rest and digest’).
The Vagus nerve is one of our major nerves. It is as a bi-directional highway that passes information between the brain and body. It is the main parasympathetic nerve (helping us to relax).
Deep out-breaths stimulate the Vagus nerve prompting it closer towards the ‘rest and digest’ state that is so critical for restorative processes in the body.
Just breathing can be a way to hack your own system!
But wait, there’s more!
Let’s be honest, oxygen is kind of important, right?
Not only does taking some deep breaths relax our bodies, but focusing on deeper diaphragmatic breathing (or ‘belly’ breathing) encourages us to pull the air down to the lower parts of the lungs where gas exchange occurs (the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide into the blood).
This ultimately leads to more oxygen in the brain!
Convinced yet?
Taking a moment for a few deep breaths when under times of pressure or anxiety is a hugely powerful tool for self-regulating your response to stress.
Scientific studies have shown us that in a single session alone, it can decrease blood pressure, improve blood oxygenation and help to regulate your heart rate.
An 8 week training program of diaphragmatic breathing revealed decreased circulating cortisol (‘stress’ hormone) levels, reduced negative thinking, and even improved cognition.
Deep breathing can also have a positive impact on other aspects of your life that are affected by stress, such as chronic pain, your relationships, your digestion and susceptibility to illness.
All this, and more… And it’s free, you say?!
I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t mind being calmer, happier, healthier and smarter!
Keen to give it a go? Contact us to see how our exercise physiologists can help.
For more stress management tips check out our previous blog, Our top 5 Stress Management Tips.
Lead Author: Yolanda van Vugt, Exercise Physiologist and Writer
Editor: Biara Webster, Exercise Physiologist and Writer
ReferencesThe Effect of Diaphragmatic Breathing on Attention, Negative Affect and Stress in Healthy Adults (Ma et al., 2017)The physiological effects of slow breathing in the healthy human (Russo et al, 2017)Acute fall and long-term rise in oxygen saturation in response to meditation (Bernadi et al., 2017)
