😮‍💨 Reduce stress with box breathing

Today’s newsletter is about a simple but extraordinarily useful stress reduction tool: box breathing.

Box breathing is a breathing technique aimed at counter-acting two of the physiological responses to stress:

• increased heart rate 

• rapid breathing

If you’ve ever had a panic attack or experienced the physical symptoms of anxiety, you’ll know how stressful these can be.

One ‘box breath’ cycle takes just 16 seconds, but you should do it at least ten times to get the full effect.

A full box breathing session can be done in under five minutes, and I guarantee that it will leave you feeling more calm and less stressed.

I’ve also found that focusing on nasal breathing can help to reduce stress. (see below for why)

It sounds weird, but breathing through your nose instead of your mouth can calm the nervous system down and alleviate anxiety:

Anne Dutton, director of the Yale Stress Center mindfulness education program, explains:

So, we now know that certain types of breathing can reduce stress.

This leads us to an interesting question:

What is stress?

When we feel stress, it often means that we are dealing with a high level of cortisol.

Cortisol is the primary stress hormone in humans.

Stress isn’t always bad. 

Our body produces cortisol when we wake up so we can have the motivation to get out of bed and start our day.

It also produces cortisol if we’re being chased by a lion so that we can run faster and focus on surviving.

Cortisol can improve cognitive function when working or studying — especially on a deadline.

There’s a cortisol sweet spot where we have enough cortisol to perform at our best without feeling overly anxious. (Check out our earlier newsletter on ‘flow state’ to learn more about stress & peak human performance)

However, a lot of the stress we feel in life comes from the highly complex and uncertain world we live in.

Renowned biologist Robert Sapolsky (whose books I highly recommend) has argued that humans are experiencing more chronic diseases because our immune systems are overwhelmed by the stress of “rapid social, cultural and technological change.”

There are also physical factors that make us more stressed, like:

• sitting for much of the day

• eating unhealthy foods

• straining our eyes by watching too much TV or content on our phones

We can also be stressed out by the constant self-comparison that comes with social media use.

Reducing stress isn’t just about removing negative things from our lives; it’s also about adding in (or appreciating) positive things.

I’ve previously written about gratitude journaling, a practice that can make us happier and more appreciative of what we have.

There are several simple practices we can do to reduce our stress levels, like:

• getting enough sleep

• exercising regularly

• eating healthy foods on a regular schedule

• spending time with friends & family who care about you

• engaging in fun hobbies or activities you enjoy

• reducing screen time before bed

Or, you can try the old-school way of reducing stress: more coffee & cigarettes. (just kidding)

None of these ideas are ground-breaking, but it’s important to know how different habits and routines can contribute to our stress levels.

To conclude, here’s how you can try box breathing right now:

1. Inhale: Start by inhaling slowly and deeply through your nose for a count of four seconds. Visualize filling your lungs with air as you do this.

2. Hold: Once you've inhaled completely, hold your breath for another count of four seconds. Maintain a steady and comfortable pause without straining.

3. Exhale: Slowly exhale through your mouth for another count of four seconds. Release the air from your lungs in a controlled manner, allowing yourself to fully empty them.

4. Hold: After exhaling, hold your breath again for a count of four seconds. Keep your body relaxed during this pause.

5. Repeat: Repeat this pattern for several minutes, focusing on the rhythmic cycle of breathing in, holding, exhaling, and holding again.

ART OF THE DAY

The Seine Boat by Stanhope Alexander Forbes. 1904.