Your Breath: This Week’s Doorcrasher!

Article contributed by Janet MacDonald, Wellness Expert

I’m not going to lie—I love a good deal. Last year, I found myself in a store where they announced 80% off all post-seasonal items.  I raced to the front of the store like I was running a 100-meter dash. I walked out with bags full of incredible deals, feeling absolutely thrilled.

That’s how I feel about using my breath to relax during stressful moments. It’s the best deal out there, no coupon required. Think of it like the doorcrasher of relaxation techniques—a stress-busting deal you can tap into at anytime, anywhere. No fancy equipment needed. No special clothing or gear. You don’t have to be in a quiet space, nor do you need to wait for the perfect moment. You don’t even need to block off a chunk of time. It’s available 24/7, and the best part? It’s completely free.

However, like any great deal, there’s a catch. To unlock the full potential of this tool, you need to understand how to use it. Just like you need a strategy to shop the best deals, you need some breathing techniques to make the most of your breath. We’re talking about controlled breathing—something that yogis have practiced for thousands of years and that modern science now supports as a powerful tool for reducing stress and enhancing well-being.

The Science of Breathing

Breathing is something we do unconsciously. Every day, we take about 20,000 breaths without giving them a second thought. The primary purpose of our breath is simple: we breathe in oxygen to fuel our bodies and exhale carbon dioxide, which our body needs to get rid of. Our cells require oxygen to produce energy, which powers every movement, thought, and action.

But here's the problem: most of us breathe shallowly. That means we don’t fill the bottom of our lungs with air, and we don’t expel all of the carbon dioxide we take in. Studies have shown that when we don’t fully exhale, we retain more carbon dioxide, leaving less oxygen available for our body to use. This can lead to feelings of fatigue, stress, and tension, among other things.

When we practice deep breathing, we engage the entire respiratory system. We expand our lungs fully, bring in more oxygen, and expel more carbon dioxide. But that’s not all. Deep breathing also activates the vagus nerve, a key player in the parasympathetic nervous system—the part of our body that controls relaxation. When we take deep breaths, the vagus nerve sends a signal to our brain that everything is OK, telling it to shut off the stress response (i.e., fight, flight, freeze). This triggers a cascade of relaxation throughout the body. Heart rate slows, muscles relax, and our overall stress levels decrease.

Breath and the Brain: Calming Your Stress Response

Scientific research backs up the effectiveness of controlled breathing. Studies have shown that breath practices can reduce stress, improve mood, and even enhance cognitive function. This makes sense, as deep breathing directly influences the autonomic nervous system, which regulates stress and relaxation. In fact, deep breathing is one of the most immediate and accessible techniques we can use to calm both our body and mind in moments of stress.

Let’s break down a couple of the simplest techniques that anyone can start using today.

Deep Breathing:

The simplest form of controlled breathing is deep breathing, also known as diaphragmatic breathing. The goal here is to take long, slow breaths that fill the lungs from bottom to top. This allows for a more efficient exchange of gases (oxygen and carbon dioxide) in the lungs.

To practice deep breathing, follow these steps:

1. Inhale deeply through your nose for a count of 4. Focus on pushing your belly out as you inhale (think of a Santa Claus belly!). You want to fill the bottom of your lungs with air.
2. Exhale through your mouth for a count of 4. Imagine you’re slowly releasing air from a balloon, allowing your belly to contract as you breathe out.
3. Repeat several times. Start with a few rounds of deep breathing and gradually increase the time as you get more comfortable.

Deep breathing is incredibly easy to incorporate into your daily life. You can do it while waiting for your toast to pop, sitting in class, waiting for your child at hockey practice, or even standing in line at the store. And the best part? Nobody will even notice you’re doing it. Deep breaths can calm your body in moments of potential stress, whether it’s before a big test, during an uncomfortable conversation, or when you're feeling anxious.

Box Breathing: The 4-4-4-4 Method

Box breathing, also known as tactical breathing, is another deep breathing technique that is widely used by athletes, military personnel, and first responders. It’s a bit more structured than deep breathing and requires more focus. This technique helps not only with relaxation but also with sharpening your focus and concentration.

Here’s how to practice box breathing:

1. Inhale for a count of 4. Take a deep breath in through your nose.
2. Hold your breath for a count of 4. Don’t exhale; simply hold the air in your lungs for a moment.
3. Exhale for a count of 4. Slowly breathe out through your mouth.
4. Hold again for a count of 4. After exhaling, hold your breath once more before beginning the cycle again.

The idea is to visualize a box, with each side representing one of the four phases (inhale, hold, exhale, hold). It’s a great exercise for calming nerves, regaining focus, and reducing anxiety. It can also be particularly helpful if you wake up in the middle of the night and find yourself unable to fall back asleep.

If the 4-count feels too long, feel free to shorten it to 3 seconds. The goal is to find a rhythm that works for you and helps you relax.

Children’s Breathing: Making It Fun

Breathing exercises aren’t just for adults—children can benefit from deep breathing as well. In fact, teaching children how to use their breath to calm themselves can help them better manage their emotions, reduce anxiety, and develop coping skills for stressful situations.

To make deep breathing fun for kids, you can use playful imagery to help them engage with the technique:

• Smell the flowers, blow out the candles: Have your child imagine they are smelling a flower as they breathe in deeply, then blowing out candles on a birthday cake as they exhale.
• Blow bubbles: Ask your child to imagine blowing bubbles after taking a big, deep breath. This helps them learn to exhale fully and relax.
• Teddy bear belly breaths: For younger kids, you can place a stuffed animal on their belly while they lie down. Ask them to breathe deeply and raise the stuffed animal with their belly as they inhale, and lower it as they exhale.

Children’s breathing techniques work best when practiced regularly, even when they’re not in the middle of a stressful moment. Once children become familiar with deep breathing, they can more easily recognize when they’re getting upset and use breathing to calm down before a tantrum or meltdown occurs.

Breathing Doesn’t Take Time—It Saves Time

Our lives are busier than ever, and we often feel like there’s no time to do one more thing. But the beauty of breathing exercises is that they don’t require a lot of time or effort. You can fit them into your day without disrupting your routine, and once you start incorporating them, they’ll become second nature.

By taking just a few moments to practice deep breathing, you can reap significant benefits in terms of stress reduction, improved mood, and increased focus. It’s a small investment of time that pays huge dividends in terms of your well-being.

So, why not take advantage of this doorcrasher deal? Your breath is available whenever you need it, at no cost, with no hidden fees. You’ve got nothing to lose—except stress. Start today and breathe your way to a calmer, more focused, and more relaxed you.

Conclusion: Your Breath, Your Best Deal

Breathing is the most accessible and cost-effective tool we have to manage stress and improve our overall health. Whether you’re using deep breathing to calm yourself in stressful moments or practicing box breathing to enhance your focus, controlled breathing offers immediate benefits. And the best part? It’s always available to you. There’s no need for a fancy gym membership or expensive equipment—just your breath, your body, and your mind.

Incorporating breath practices into your routine is one of the simplest and most effective ways to improve your well-being. So, go ahead—take a deep breath and enjoy your very own Doorcrasher deal. Your body and mind will thank you.

Come join me on my platform with Well Me Right. I have over  30 years of experience in health care, in helping individuals, groups, and workplaces navigate mental health challenges.  I’m also the author of Send Suicide Packing—There’s Something We All Can Do To Help, a book inspired by my family’s journey after our 20-year-old daughter survived a suicide attempt. Through this experience, I’ve gained invaluable insights into managing life’s challenges.

Join me on my platform as I help you identify stressors and help develop practical strategies to manage the stress in your life. Some of these strategies include:

• Breathing exercises to relax the mind and body
• Mindfulness practices to stay grounded and present
• Time management strategies for better life balance
• Sleep hygiene tips for more restful nights
• Challenging negative thoughts to retrain our thinking to positive
• Exercise as a tool to improve both mental and physical well-being

Let’s make reducing stress a priority in your life!

About The Author

Janet MacDonald is a Well Me Right Wellness Expert and Registered Nurse with specialty training in mental health education.