Everyone deals with stress sometimes. There are situations that come up at work and at home where stress is impossible to avoid. Some people react much more strongly to that stress than others do. For example, some people have anxiety problems and panic attacks, which increase when they are placed under physical and/or mental stress. Other people shrug and laugh and just let things roll right off of them. Most people are in the middle of the spectrum. They get stressed out, but then they get over it without panicking or developing anxiety problems. Even for these people, the long-term effects of stress on their body can be harmful.

Since you can’t completely eliminate the stress in your life, it’s important that you learn ways to lower it and get through it faster so you can let it go. One of the best ways to do that is through deep breathing. Most people don’t breathe the right way, but they don’t realize it. No one ever taught them to breathe properly, so they struggle with stress and anxiety that they wouldn’t have if they were breathing correctly. Breathing should come from the diaphragm, not the top of the lungs. If your chest is rising and falling as you breathe, that’s too shallow. Your belly should actually be the area to rise and fall. That gets the air deeper into your lungs and helps you to feel more relaxed.

By breathing the right way – slowly and deeply from the diaphragm – it’s nearly impossible to panic or experience any kind of severe anxiety. It can help an anxiety attack go away, or prevent one from happening. It can also help a person feel less stressed out over big things and small things in life. Keeping control of your stress levels will be easier if you remember to breathe. It takes some practice, but once you’ve gotten into the habit you’ll automatically breathe the right way. Give it a try, and see how it quickly and efficiently lowers your level of stress, no matter what the situation.