Square Breathing!

It’s called “Square” or “Box” Breathing... and It is LEGIT. I swear by it! ⁣

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Here’s why it works: ⁣

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When we’re feeling anxious, we go into “fight or flight:” the parasympathetic nervous system kicks into action to prepare us for whatever “threat” is to come: blood flow is altered to maximize efficiency, our heart rate increases, muscles become tense, breathing quickens, and our eyes dilate. ⁣

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That’s cool, I guess, but a little much for me on a regular basis. FYI— prolonged levels of stress hormones in the body can be harmful; we definitely prefer small doses of that stuff.⁣

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Slow, paced breathing reverses the stress response and brings the body 🔙 to baseline by activating the sympathetic nervous system to essentially resolve the hyperarousal state.⁣ ⁣ ⠀⠀⠀

Here's how to do it:

Take a big breath in and count to 4️⃣

Hold it for 4️⃣

Slowly exhale for 4️⃣

And hold it for 4️⃣

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By the way, this technique was developed by the Navy Seals... so if it's good enough for them, it's good enough for us :)

I literally feel more relaxed, just writing this out. It’s a game changer... seriously. Give it a try!