Making better choices over time.
By now it should be of no surprise that things like improving sleep and diet or adding exercise and meditation can help reduce overall daily stress in your life. That’s all good, but those things are more like long term investments. Eating one good meal or having one good exercise session is something that helps bring more mental fortitude to combat stress over time, but what about the immediate stressors and human response?
Lowering stress levels as they are about to spike
Keeping calm during dinner prep after work, while asking the kids to stop jumping on the couch and getting them to wash their hands (after asking 15 times) in addition to keeping track of a puppy who shreds any item left on the floor can be totally overwhelming. There’s only so much sleep or exercise that a person can do in preparation for times of increased stress.
According to Standford Neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman, people can actually trigger their parasympathetic nervous system (the opposite of sympathetic nervous system, the stress system) during times of increased stress. He calls the “physiological sigh”.
Physiological sigh
Think of what a toddler or child does after they’ve had a big cry, they do that little double breath thing as they start to calm down. That’s pretty close to what Huberman describes as the physiolocial sigh. It’s a quick double breath through the nose and a slow release through the mouth. The double breath gives a chance for the alveoli (tiny air sacks in the lungs) to re-inflate from collapse, bringing in much needed oxygen and offloading carbon dioxide. (Think of how you do those double puffs when staring to blow up a balloon)
So simple… it’s not just about taking a big breath, but taking a quick double breath through the nose and slowly releasing via the mouth.
Want to learn more about breathing? Check our Dr. Shaun’s post on breathing click here
Want to take some time for self care? Book a massage! click here
Want to learn more about the benefits of hot baths? click here
Breathing just not helping? Call and speak with somebody today: Provincial Mental Health and Addictions Crisis Line 1-888-429-8167
References:
https://scopeblog.stanford.edu/2020/10/07/how-stress-affects-your-brain-and-how-to-reverse-it/
**None of the information provided on this website should be substituted for medical evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment from a licensed healthcare practitioner.**