When we feel stress our sympathetic nervous system kicks into action providing us with the fight or fight mechanisms discussed above. The question is what can we do to turn off this system and activate our parasympathetic nervous system. This is the one that relaxes us and helps us feel at peace and that all is right with the world.

Breathing  is one way to do this. When we are stressed, we are breathing shallowly, into only the top portion of our lungs. By breathing into our belly, using our diaphragm, we can active this relaxation response.

Start by sitting or lying comfortably with one hand on your chest and one hand on your belly around your navel. Breath in slowly through your nose to the count of 5 making sure your belly expands as you do. You want your belly hand to raise up higher than your chest hand. When you do this you are using your diaphragm to help you breathe. With your belly expanded hold your breath to the count of 5. Then slowly release through your mouth to the count of 5. At the end pause for a moment before taking another breath. Do this breathing cycle 5 more times. Eventually as you build up breathing stamina you will want to take the breath counts up as high as you can, maybe even to the count of 15 or 20. You will be breathing very slowly then.

When you are feeling stressed take a moment to do this breathing and you can reset your autonomic nervous system from stress response to relaxation.