Four Square Breathing Technique (also know as Box Breathing)

An effective way to settle a panic or anxiety and to reduce the fight or flight response is to BREATHE.

Even the Canadian Special Forces and the Navy Seals use the Four Square Breathing Technique to stay out of the fight or flight response. This is the technique:

Step One:Take a breath in through your nose to the count of four.

Step Two: Hold that breath for the count of four.

Step Three: Breath out through your mouth to the count of four.

Step Four: At the end of breathing out, hold to the count of four.

This technique helps us in the following two ways:
1. Reduce Blood Pressure and decreases Cortisol – stress hormone.
2. Reduce Panic – Counting takes the focus off the panic producing situation and helps to cope and control your response.

Be proactive and do Four Square Breathing every hour and it will become an automatic response to stress.

 

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