Breathe In, Breathe Out: The Science of Controlled Breathing

We breathe about 20,000 times a day, mostly without thinking about it. But when we take control of that rhythm, amazing things happen to our bodies and minds.

The Remote Control for Your Nervous System

Your autonomic nervous system has two modes:

• Sympathetic: "Fight or flight" (stress, alertness).
• Parasympathetic: "Rest and digest" (calm, recovery).

Breathing is the only part of this system you can consciously control. By slowing your exhale, you signal to your brain that you are safe, forcing a switch to the parasympathetic mode.

Techniques to Try

1. The 4-7-8 Technique

Inhale for 4, hold for 7, exhale for 8. Developed by Dr. Andrew Weil, this pattern acts as a natural tranquilizer. The long exhale is key to deep relaxation and is great for falling asleep.

2. Coherent Breathing

Also called Resonance Breathing, this involves inhaling for 6 seconds and exhaling for 6 seconds. This rhythm (5 breaths per minute) synchronizes your heart rate with your breath, creating a state of calm alertness and balance.

Visualizing the Breath

It can be hard to keep count while trying to relax. That's why we built our Breathing Exercise tool. It provides a simple, expanding and contracting visual guide so you can turn off your brain and just follow along.

Take a minute today to just breathe. Your brain will thank you.