Box Breathing To Reduce Stress And Increase Calming Clarity

Welcome to this practice on box breathing to reduce stress and increase calming clarity.

I'm Mary Beth Hyland,

Workplace culture consultant and teacher here on Insight Timer.

Today,

We're going to explore how you respond to this ancient technique which was popularized by the Navy SEALs.

They are trained to use box breathing when in high-stake situations so they can make tactical decisions from a place of calm clarity.

One of the reasons I love this technique,

Particularly in the workplace,

Is because it often opens people up to breathwork who may not have been before.

Once people learn that the Navy SEALs use it for peak performance,

They often become curious and more willing to see if it will make a difference for them.

Breathwork is so transformative because it gives us presence and power all at once.

You can only breathe right now,

Not in the past or in the future.

When you can ground yourself in your breath,

You are also grounding yourself in the present moment.

And when you're mindfully in the present moment,

Stress and overwhelm melt away.

This box breathing technique will jumpstart you into those feelings as it will naturally activate your parasympathetic nervous system or your rest and digest mode versus sympathetic nervous system which activates your fight or flight mode.

When you breathe in this pattern,

It starts to tell your brain that everything is okay here.

And then your body sends messages to say,

We're not in stress,

We can handle this in this moment.

Pretty cool,

Right?

This technique is called box breathing because you're creating a box with your breath.

Four sides,

Four equal parts.

Inhale for four counts,

Hold your breath for four counts,

Exhale for four counts,

And then hold again for four.

Simply repeat that pattern for up to five minutes and see how much clearer your mind becomes and how your body eases.

Let's try it together now.

If you're sitting down,

Just make sure your legs are uncrossed and your feet are nicely placed on the floor.

You can also do this laying down,

You get to choose.

Just make sure that you have everything uncrossed so everything can flow through you easily.

Together,

We'll take a deep breath in and out.

And on the second inhale,

I'll begin this counting pattern.

So here we go.

Inhale in,

Exhale.

And let's begin.

Inhale,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Hold,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Exhale,

Two three,

Four.

Hold two,

Three,

Four.

Inhale,

Two three,

Four.

Hold two three,

Four.

Exhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Inhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Exhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Inhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Exhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Inhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Exhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Inhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Exhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Inhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Exhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Inhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Exhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Inhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Exhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Inhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Exhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Inhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Exhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Inhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Exhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Inhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Exhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Inhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Exhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Inhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Exhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Inhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Exhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Inhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Exhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Inhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Exhale 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Now return to your normal cadence of breath and just notice… Do you feel any different?

Has your state of mind shifted?

Does your body feel a change?

It's incredible what becomes possible when we use our breath with intention.

Even just one minute of this practice can massively support your sense of clarity,

Well-being,

And discernment on how you can take aligned action.

This is Mary Beth Hyland,

Reminding you to box breathe in order to give yourself and others permission to be human.