From our book SHIFT: 12 Keys To Shift Your Life we offer the tip of the week for dealing with stress:

1) Rhythmic or Box Breathing - Rhythmic (or Box) Breathing is a helpful technique for rapidly decreasing stress, anxiety, heart rate or blood pressure. It also is centering and prepares you for a meditation or a peaceful night?s sleep.


Think of your breathing pattern as if it were a box or square drawn on a piece of paper with the breathing in being the left upward drawn line, holding your in-breath as the line on the top of the square from left to right, breathing out as the line going downward on the right side, and then the holding of the out-breath being the line from right to left on the bottom side of the square.


You slowly count the length of your breath going in, being held, or going out that is right for you. The length of your in-breath and out-breath should be the same count; just as the length of the held breath at top and bottom should be the same number of counts. As you practice your breathing, you might find that your square is actually a rectangle. Each person may find they have a different count from another person; and that is fine as we are all unique individuals. Just make certain that you are not strained in your breathing in or out or with the breath holds at top or bottom; if you find you are strained, then change the length of your counts for different sides of your ?box? of breathing.


Once you find the pattern of your square or rectangular box that works best for you, go through 4 to 5 complete rounds of the rhythmic breathing and notice how your body and mind respond.