An Easy Stress-Relieving Exercise To Try, From A Yoga Instructor

“When we are anxious and stressed, breathing typically becomes shallow in the chest,” Anice tells mbg. “Shifting to three-part breath (which is a full complete breath done by inhaling deep into the low belly, into the ribcage, then the chest), is an excellent way to calm the mind, reconnect to the body, and cultivate presence,” she says.  

Along with three-part breath, this exercise adds arm movements, which helps temporarily stimulate the sympathetic nervous system by increasing oxygen levels in the bloodstream, she explains. Deep exhalations follow strong inhalations, which helps to release tension and stress from the body.  

“After several rounds followed by stillness and witnessing the aliveness in the body, the parasympathetic activates, bringing in a serene state of calm and ease,” she says. “The mind becomes quiet and the body becomes energized.”