Your Nose Is Your Off Switch

Your nose is your off switch for stress and anxiety.

Nasal breathing produces nitric oxide — opening your airways and delivering more oxygen to your brain.
A slow, extended exhale activates your vagus nerve — the nerve that controls your stress response. Heart rate drops. Cortisol drops. Mind quietens.

This session uses a 4-second inhale and an 8-second exhale — nasal only — to trigger that response deliberately.
No counting. No effort. Just follow my voice.

I'm Ross Pollard — former paramedic, 24 years, 12 on the helicopter. Oxygen Advantage - Advanced Instructor. I've seen what unmanaged stress does to people at their worst. This is the simplest tool I know to bring you back.

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Thank you for being here.

Transcript

Find somewhere comfortable. Sitting or lying down. It doesn't matter. Let your body settle wherever you are. Close your eyes if that feels right. For this entire session, We breathe through the nose only. Mouth closed, Jaw relaxed. Here's why it matters. Nasal breathing filters and warms the air before it reaches your lungs. It produces something called nitric oxide, Which opens your airways and delivers more oxygen to your brain and body. And breathing nasally with a long, Slow exhale activates your vagus nerve. That's the brake for your heart. That's your body's built-in off switch for stress and anxiety. Your heart rate drops. Your cortisol drops. The noise in your head quietens, Not because I had told you to, Because your physiology responds to this every single time. Nothing to do, Nothing to force, Just follow my voice. In through the nose, Out through the nose. Let's begin. We will breathe in for four seconds and out for eight seconds. I will tell you when to breathe in and when to breathe out. Let's begin. Breathe in. . . Breathe out. Breathe in. . . Breathe out. Breathe in. . . Breathe out. Breathe in. . . Breathe out. Breathe in. . . Breathe out. Breathe in. . . Breathe out. You're doing exactly what your nervous system needed. Stay here. Keep going. Breathe in. . . Breathe out. Breathe in. . . Breathe out. Breathe in. . . Breathe out. Breathe in. . . Breathe out. Breathe in. . . Breathe out. Breathe in. . . Breathe out. Whenever you're ready, Gently bring your awareness back Feel the weight of your body. Wiggle your fingers. And when you open your eyes, Do it slowly. There's no rush back into the world. What you just did, That's available to you anytime, Anywhere. Whenever stress or anxiety shows up, Just come back to the breath. In through the nose, Out through the nose. I'm Ross Pollard. Thank you for taking this time for yourself. If this helped, Please leave a rating on Insight Timer, It means everything, And means I can get feedback on how to improve and make things better for you guys. Take care of yourself. Until next time.