Get it Done in the Morning, and Literally Breathe Stress Away
Hi Folks! Connor and Nick here from Healthy Living With Nick and Connor. Thanks again for being on our email list, it means a lot, and we are excited to share our weekly email with you. We hope you enjoy it! Here is what we hope you take away from this one:
Morning Power. An hour before 8 is worth 3 after 5
Breath Stress Away in three breaths. Include this in your daily routine when you feel your blood pressure creeping up.
There will always be ups and downs in our lives, we need to learn how to be okay not just when times are good but also when things don’t exactly go our way.
Starter Mindset Tip: Morning Power
When you think of waking up in the morning you may picture hitting the snooze button a few times, slowly getting out of bed feeling groggy, half asleep until your coffee kicks in. We can all relate to this type of morning, and it may not seem like it, but it can also be one of the most powerful times for you to accomplish goals and form new habits. Mornings are generally when our minds are best able to focus and overcome procrastination. With a slight mindset shift we can prioritize things we are hoping to try first on the day’s list of activities. This can make it more exciting to wake up, especially if you reward yourself for getting something done by leaving your morning coffee, or breakfast until after you’re done. That coffee now tastes doubly delicious, and you have the rest of your day knowing that you have already accomplished something. Harness that morning power!
Health Recipe: Breathe Stress Away in Three Breaths With the Physiological Sigh
Timing: 0.5–2 minutes
Level of Difficulty: Easy (no learning required)
Serving Size: A few breath cycles when feeling stressed
Spice Level: Mild and calming
INGREDIENTS
You and your breath
REASONING AND BENEFITS
When we think about reducing stress, we often think of going for a massage, meditating, taking a break, or going on a vacation. What about reducing stress the moment it’s happening? The neuroscientist and podcaster Andrew Huberman teaches us that the physiological sigh is a quick, in-the-moment stress reduction strategy. This technique allows you to use your physiology to calm yourself down. The sigh is something humans and animals automatically do before falling asleep. What better way to calm down than to do what your body already does before you fall asleep? It is very hard for us to calm down using our minds. Telling ourselves to calm down can make us more stressed, especially if it isn’t working. Instead of using your mind, use what your body is already trained to use to calm down: your breath. All you have to do is a double inhale, followed by a long exhale, and repeat that a few times. When we get stressed, carbon dioxide builds up in our blood, and the alveoli sacs in our lungs collapse like deflated balls. The double inhale acts as a pump and reinflates the alveoli sacs so that they can get rid of built-up carbon dioxide. After you reinflate the alveoli sacs, a long exhale will be much more effective at getting rid of the built-up carbon dioxide, relaxing your mind and body. (Huberman, episode. 112) There is no better or faster way out there to reduce your stress in the moment, definitely give this one a shot.
INSTRUCTIONS
Take a full breath in through your nose then immediately inhale again (called a double inhale).
Perform a long exhale out your mouth. Longer exhales slow down your heart rate.
Repeat even just one to three times to notice a benefit.
Repeat as much as you’d like to feel the calmness you’ve been searching for.
Bonus: If you can find 5 minutes in your busy schedule to do this most days per week, you will be getting very similar benefits as a regular meditation practice.
PRO TIP: We have both used this during stressful moments at work when we need to be calm and make quick decisions. We highly recommend the physiological sigh as a strategy to let your body recognize how to limit the stress response in the moment.
* The physiological sigh is thoroughly grounded in physiology and neuroscience as the most effective way to calm down.
**The diaphragm is a bad$&@ organ because it is one that we can control through our breath.
***The physiological sigh is the fastest hard-wired way for us to eliminate the stress response in our body in real time.
Dessert Quote:
“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.” Jon Kabat-Zinn
Now we want to hear from YOU! Please let us know what you think of today’s newsletter, and send us an example of how you applied the health recipe to your life! We would love to share how you introduced this week’s recipe into your life’s unique menu. Thanks and have a great Sunday!
Sources:
Learn more about the physiological sigh and proper breathing:
Huberman, A. 2023. “The Huberman Lab Podcast,” ep. 112, 1h34min timestamp.
