You did it.

Did you notice yourself breathing more with your chest than your belly? Or breathing through your mouth instead of your nose? Frequent sighing, yawning, or feeling out of breath easily are all common signs that your breathing has become "dysfunctional," often from stress. The first step to fixing it is simply noticing.

Let's check your baseline. For 30 seconds, count your breaths. Is it more than 10? (Ideally, we want to be well under 20 breaths per minute). Next, try the Control Pause: After a normal, relaxed exhale, gently pinch your nose and time how long it is until you feel the first definite urge to breathe. If your score is under 20 seconds, it’s a clear sign you’ll benefit from more practice!

This is your on-demand "off" switch. Remember, the key is to make your exhale twice as long as your inhale (e.g., inhale for 3, exhale for 6). Try this progressively for just two minutes to actively slow your heart rate. Or, use Box Breathing: Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4, exhale for 4, and hold for 4. This is a perfect tool for restoring balance.

This is how you build energy and resilience. We went through three rounds of that powerful sequence: 30 deep, full inhales, followed by a long breath-hold on the final exhale, and then a 15-second recovery breath. This actively resets your system and boosts your energy from the inside out.