Stop for a minute and take four deep breaths – paying complete attention to the breath going in, and the breath flowing out.
When you are stressed, your thoughts are causing your brain to your send signals to your endocrine system to release the hormones of stress – your fight or flight system.(stress response) Necessary when you are fleeing for your life, but harmful to your body if released in response to every deadline or disagreement or worry that you have. It impacts your heart rate, and blood pressure and ability to think with clarity, not to mention messes with your metabolism in a way that ultimately makes you gain weight. And you feel awful. When you interrupt the stressful thoughts for even a short time to concentrate on your breath – your brain initiates the relaxation response which does the opposite from the stress response. This gives your body and mind a time out.
Try it – it can be done anytime, anywhere, as often as you’d like. No side effects. No cost. Nothing to lose but your stress.
