Breathing and the Stress Response

“Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.”  -Thich Nhat Hanh

Breathing seems so simple.  We breathe without even thinking about it.  When we are relaxed, our breath is effortless and barely noticeable.  When we are stressed, however, the story changes a bit.

Many of us are familiar with the “fight-or-flight” response of the nervous system.  Evolutionarily, the fight-or-flight response was designed to help us (literally) flee from an immediately threatening situation – say, for example, being chased by a bear while gathering berries for our tribe.  Activation of this response would have pumped adrenaline through our bodies, giving our muscles the surge of energy necessary to help us run for our lives.

While the fight-or-flight response is still important in protecting us in acute emergencies, the reality is that we simply aren’t chased by bears as often (literally and figuratively) in modern-day living.  We do experience day-to-day stressors, like traffic, job stress, and relationship stress.  And indeed, these stressors can be intense and prolonged in nature.  But in most cases, they are not life-threatening.  Yet, we have become so acclimated to the stress response that it is still frequently activated in response to these non-life-threatening situations.  We may hyperventilate, think irrationally, worry excessively, and/or seek ways to escape the situation. Over time, the chronic activation of this response may be a risk factor for high blood pressure, anxiety, depression, and obesity.

So how do we “un-learn” some of the maladaptive methods our bodies have developed to cope with stress?

One very potent tool against chronic stress is breathing.  While we may feel at the mercy of our emotions in the midst of stress, the truth is that we can exert some control over our breath.

In fact, a major reason why many yoga classes begin with a few minutes of deep breathing is to allow students to get out of their heads and back into their bodies.  Students observe the breath coming into and out of the lungs, and they actively slow down the pace of breathing.  By practicing this type of breathing in the safe space of a yoga class, we can be better prepared outside of class to counteract the tendency to hyperventilate during periods of acute stress (which usually makes us feel even less stable).

So next time you find yourself in a moment of panic or fear, and you notice your breath growing rapid or choppy, try an experiment.  Rather than give into the temptation to follow your panicky thoughts into a fearful (and de-oxygenated) place, take a few deep, mindful breaths instead.  Count how many seconds it takes for you to inhale deeply and fully.  Then, match the length of your exhale to that same number of seconds.  This exercise will require you to slow down your breath significantly, which feels very odd at first when you are stressed out.  But continue with this practice for at least a minute (and ideally for a few minutes), and chances are you will feel calmer about the stressful situation and able to think through it more rationally.

Slow, deliberate, conscious breathing connects us back to our physical bodies, activating the mechanisms of our nervous system that relax and calm us.  (Side note – these same mechanisms are also at work when we meditate, which is why daily meditation is such a healing practice for the body and mind.)  The more we can tap into deep, conscious breathing during times of stress, the more we neutralize the negative effects of the fight-or-flight response.  Over time, we may save our bodies and minds from a great deal of unnecessary wear-and-tear – and it doesn’t cost a single thing, except for a little attention to what’s going on inside.

 

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