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3.6.2: Mindful Breathing
Focusing on our breathing helps bring our attention back to the present moment, especially when stress pulls us into overwhelm. By focusing on the rhythm of the breath, we can calm the nervous system and feel more grounded in our body and surroundings.
The following video describes the role the nervous system plays while we feel stressed and how we can try and regulate ourselves through a few techniques.
transcript:
Our bodies respond to stress through two key parts of the nervous system—the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches. The sympathetic nervous system, or SNS, kicks in when we sense a threat. It releases stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, speeding up our heart rate, tightening our muscles and making us more alert. This response can happen not just during immediate danger, but also in ongoing situations—like climate-related stress or anxiety. We might feel tense, restless or on edge without even realizing it. That’s where the parasympathetic nervous system, or PNS, comes in. It helps us calm down by slowing the heart rate, deepening the breath and relaxing the body. Simple tools like slow breathing, mindful movement or grounding techniques can help activate the PNS. These small shifts bring balance back to the nervous system and support us in managing stress with more awareness.
The following audio guide takes you through two breathing techniques. Try them out to see if they work for you.
Try and practice these two techniques when you’re not feeling stressed and when you’re relatively calm.
Once you have gotten comfortable with your awareness of your breathing, get creative. Find a rhythm of inhaling and exhaling that feels relaxing to you.
With practice, this can help you become more attuned to your breath so you can use this to respond to stress as you feel it building up. This can help with instances like reading/hearing distressing news, when you begin feeling overwhelmed or before you need to make/do something important
transcript:
Settle into a comfortable position. If you feel comfortable, you can close your eyes. Bring your attention to your breath by noticing how you’re breathing in and out right now. Place one palm on your stomach. And as you’re breathing in and out, notice how your palm moves with your breath. In this position, let’s try the first technique where you will inhale, hold your breath and exhale. With your palm on your stomach, take a deep breath in for 3 counts.1, 2, 3. Hold your breath for 3 counts 1, 2, 3. Exhale for longer 1, 2, 3, 4. Make sure your exhale lasts longer in counts than your inhale. Do this once more and you can choose the number of counts that feels comfortable for you. With your palm on your stomach, Inhale….hold…..exhale for longer….. If you feel uncomfortable to focus this much on your breath, shift your attention to your palm - use your palm on your stomach as an anchor and notice how it moves up and down when you breathe. Try it once more. Inhale - notice your palm moving out. Hold. And exhale, notice your palm moving in. Once more - inhale. Hold. exhale. Find what works for you and practice this a couple of times. In the next technique, once you breathe in, you will breathe out in a couple of breaths, forcefully and quickly. Let’s try it. Inhale deeply. And exhale in quick successive breaths. Once more, inhale. And exhale. You can place your palm on your belly, if you like. Let’s try it again, inhale. And exhale in quick succession. Once more, inhale. And exhale. Try both techniques a few more times if you wish. Once you’re done, if your eyes are closed, slowly open them and notice how you’re feeling.