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A young man relaxes his mind from stress while lying on the grass, with his hands behind his head, staring up at a bright blue sky and palm trees
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How to Relax Your Mind From Stress

Stress is a natural response to external or internal pressures and demands. In small amounts, stress can be helpful, motivating us to try new strategies or reach new limits. 

 

But too much stress can send us into “fight, flight, or freeze” mode, making it difficult – sometimes even impossible – to relax our mind and body.

 

Learning how to cope with stress can help us feel less overwhelmed and support our mental and physical well-being.

 

A simple technique to relax your mind from stress

 

The way we breathe is closely related to our levels of stress in mind and body. This is due to the fact that the vagus nerve, a command centre of sorts for the nervous system, links many organs, including the lungs, to the brain.

 

We can use this connection between mind and body to relax when we feel stressed out or emotionally overwhelmed. Studies show that breathing in a certain pattern can relax both mind and body, shifting us from a state of stress to one of calm balance.

 

This patterned breathing is known as box breathing (or square breathing, or four-square breathing). It is a simple yet effective relaxation technique to promote calmness and alleviate stress. 

 

The technique involves inhaling, holding the breath, exhaling, and then maintaining an empty breath-hold, each for an equal count of seconds, typically four or five. 

 

The technique’s rhythmic pattern helps regulate the breath and activate the body’s parasympathetic nervous system, specifically the vagus nerve, triggering a relaxation response. By consciously controlling the breath in this rhythmic manner, box breathing helps us manage stress and anxiety, lowers our heart rate, and promotes a sense of mental clarity.

 

Five easy steps to relax your mind from stress

 

Follow the pattern of breathing below. Repeat until two minutes have passed, or until your body and mind feel more relaxed.

 

Place one hand on your chest, to make sure it is not moving as you breathe. Place your other hand on your belly, to make sure you’re taking deep breaths. You should feel your belly expand and flatten every time you breathe in and out, respectively.

 

Step 1: Breathe in deeply into your belly (4 seconds)

Step 2: Hold your breath (4 seconds)

Step 3: Breathe out slowly and fully (4 seconds)

Step 4: Pause without breathing (4 seconds)

Step 5: Repeat

 

Watch the following video for a guided box breathing exercise:

 

 

Box breathing is a very versatile technique for relaxing both mind and body. It can be used as an emergency tool that helps us relax in the middle of a stressful situation or environment, or it can be practised daily to promote a calmer, more balanced state of mind and body.

 

Including box breathing in your daily routine, typically in the morning, is the best way to manage ongoing stress. Not only does it prepare our mind and body to handle whatever stress comes our way, it also helps us develop a strong habit of using this technique to relax the mind and body, leaving us more likely to reach for the technique whenever we feel overwhelmed.

 

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SOURCES:

  • Balban MY, Neri E, Kogon MM, Weed L, Nouriani B, Jo B, Holl G, Zeitzer JM, Spiegel D, Huberman AD. Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal. Cell Rep Med. 2023 Jan 17;4(1):100895. doi: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100895. Epub 2023 Jan 10. PMID: 36630953; PMCID: PMC9873947.
  • Fincham GW, Strauss C, Montero-Marin J, Cavanagh K. Effect of breathwork on stress and mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised-controlled trials. Sci Rep. 2023 Jan 9;13(1):432. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-27247-y. PMID: 36624160; PMCID: PMC9828383.
  • Ma X, Yue ZQ, Gong ZQ, Zhang H, Duan NY, Shi YT, Wei GX, Li YF. The Effect of Diaphragmatic Breathing on Attention, Negative Affect and Stress in Healthy Adults. Front Psychol. 2017 Jun 6;8:874. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00874. PMID: 28626434; PMCID: PMC5455070.
  • Zaccaro A, Piarulli A, Laurino M, Garbella E, Menicucci D, Neri B, Gemignani A. How Breath-Control Can Change Your Life: A Systematic Review on Psycho-Physiological Correlates of Slow Breathing. Front Hum Neurosci. 2018 Sep 7;12:353. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2018.00353. PMID: 30245619; PMCID: PMC6137615.

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Vidula V Sawant (M.A., M.Phil., CRR No. A80980) is a clinical psychologist with 4+ years of experience and a passion for understanding the complexities of our minds and behaviours.