We breathe about 20,000 times a day, but most of the time we don’t notice it. Yet every breath directly influences the nervous system, shaping how we feel, think and react.

The body has two main modes:

• Sympathetic (fight-or-flight): Activated when we feel stressed or threatened. Breathing becomes shallow and fast.
• Parasympathetic (rest-and-digest): Activated when we feel safe and relaxed. Breathing slows down, the heart rate steadies and digestion improves.

The beautiful part? Your breath can switch the system. By changing the way you breathe, you send signals to your brain and body: calm down, it’s safe.

Try this simple check-in:

1. Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly.
2. Notice which hand moves more when you breathe.
   • If your chest rises more, you may be in a stress response.
   • If your belly rises more, you’re breathing deeply and activating calm.
3. Take 5 slow belly breaths, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth.

Feel the difference? You’ve just shifted your nervous system toward balance.

Tip for daily life: Whenever you feel rushed or overwhelmed, pause and take five deep belly breaths. It’s a quick reset—science-backed and always available.