Most Useful Anti-Anxiety Hack I’ve Ever Found

I’ve had anxiety since my earliest age, likely due to a childhood of abuse and trauma.

And mostly I’ve had it managed; in fact, it helps me get a lot done and be a bit of an overachiever my whole life.

But when I go through extremely stressful periods in my life, circumstances can occasionally swamp my ability to live with my anxiety for months or even years at a time, which also sometimes impacts my sleep.

It’s important for your health to manage anxiety for a well-ordered neurological system.

And it’s important for your health to get enough sleep.

Something I’ve been doing has more ability to calm anxiety than anything I’ve ever tried.

The really great news is, it’s totally free.

(If you’d prefer to see this article in video form, scroll to the bottom.)

The Simple Practice Navy SEALs Use to Stay Calm

Have you heard of box breathing?

Navy SEALs, trained to go into highly stressful situations, are taught box breathing.

When I wake up in the morning, I practice box breathing for quite some time while meditating.

In fact, doing this breathing technique assists meditation, because you're focusing on your breath, so your mind is far less likely to suffer from the chatty “monkey-brain.”

How to Do Box Breathing

Here’s the simple pattern:

• Inhale for 4 counts
• Hold at the top for 4 counts
• Exhale for 4 counts
• Hold at the bottom for 4 counts

That’s one “box.”

You repeat the cycle for 5–10 minutes (or longer, if you like).

With practice, you’ll find that you can slip into calmness so quickly you may even forget to stop.

A Small Adjustment That Makes It Even More Powerful

I had recently read about how even though we were taught as kids that carbon dioxide is our enemy, though plants need it and give us oxygen back –

– your body actually needs carbon dioxide.

So what has made my “box breathing” even better is to hold at the bottom for 8 counts, instead of 4.

You don’t do this just a few times. You do it for 5 or 10 minutes, or even longer.

Eventually, you get so trained in it, you may have to remind yourself that you can stop and return to normal in-and-out slow breathing.

Why I Keep Coming Back to It

I notice every single time I do box breathing, that within about five minutes, I feel very calm and the wave of anxiety has passed. (Which otherwise might last hours, for me.)

It’s simple. It’s free. It’s always available.

Try It for Yourself

So again, breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts, breathe out for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts. (Or consider maybe 8 counts, before you repeat with an inhale.)

I hope this technique is as helpful for you or someone you love who struggles with anxiety as it has been for me.

 

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