“Don’t forget to breathe.” We’ve heard it in workout classes, in medical procedures, and many times when we’ve been stressed—and yet as often as we hear it, we still need to be reminded. When we’re stressed or tense, our breath becomes shallow, putting additional pressure on our bodies and disrupting our normal levels of CO2. That’s why it’s key to remember to breathe and stop stress-induced shallow breathing in its tracks.

The first step is awareness: when you find yourself feeling stressed, check your breathing and seek out any tense areas in your body, paying special attention to the muscles around your neck and shoulders. Then, focus on your breath through the breathing technique of your choice. One of our favorites is simple deep breathing, which involves placing a hand on your stomach and breathing in slowly through your nose, followed by exhaling slowly through your mouth. Make sure to feel the connection to your hand and notice as it rises and falls. Another is box breathing, in which you inhale to the count of four, hold for the count of four, exhale for the count of four, and repeat. 

Breathing helps us sleep better, feel better, and even digest our food more efficiently. So, in case you needed to hear it today: don’t forget to breathe.

𝘍𝘶𝘫𝘪𝘬𝘢𝘴𝘢 𝘚𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘬𝘰, "𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘔𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯"