My Favorite 2 Breathing Methods to Regulate Your Nervous System

As leaders, it's essential that we have the ability to regulate our nervous system in order to stay focused, calm, and composed under pressure. This is especially true in times of high stress, when our bodies and minds can become overwhelmed and start to shut down. One of the most powerful tools is something you have with you at all times – your breath.

It turns out “taking a breath” is not such trite advice that should be overlooked. In Breath - The New Science of a Lost Art, James Nestor dives into his vast exploration and research of the breath to detail how the smallest changes to the way we breathe can help lead to huge leaps in improvements in athletic performance, health, sleep, and more.

Here are are a couple different breathing exercises that I use regularly:

Wim Hof Method Breathing

One powerful way to regulate our nervous system is through the Wim Hof Method breathing technique. This simple but powerful practice involves a series of deep, controlled breaths that help to activate the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems, promoting balance and harmony within the body. Wim Hof's method has been studied by researchers, and has been shown to have numerous health benefits, including improved immune system function, increased energy and mental clarity, reduced stress and anxiety, and increased physical performance. Wim Hof has leveraged his methods to set numerous world records, including climbing Mount Everest in just shorts, running a marathon in the Namibian Desert without water, and breaking the world record for the longest ice bath.

In a 2014 study "Voluntary activation of the sympathetic nervous system and attenuation of the innate immune response in humans," published in PNAS, a group of 12 healthy volunteers were injected with a small amount of a harmful endotoxin. The study showed that by using the Wim Hof Breathing techniques, they were able to control how their body's nervous and immune systems responded, compared to the untrained control group. When healthy volunteers used the breathing methods, they were able to increase the release of epinephrine in their body, which the authors discuss how this led to an increase in the production of chemicals that reduce inflammation and a decrease in the production of chemicals that cause inflammation. These trained individuals experienced fewer endotoxin-related flu-like symptoms, and "a more swift normalization of fever and cortisol levels, which are likely the result of the attenuated pro-inflammatory response."

So, how can the Wim Hof Method breathing technique help you regulate your nervous system for optimal leadership?

• Proactively prepare for stress. Stress is unavoidable as we tackle challenges in our lives. The more regularly we train our body and minds to prepare through stress through breathwork training, the less affected we are during outs of acute stress.
• Improved connection. The more we practice breathwork, the more in tune we get with our bodies to recognize when we may be off balance. And while we can better connect with ourselves, I believe these practices also help you connect with others and recognize when you see dysregulation in others during moments of stress.
• Faster recovery. Perfection isn't the goal. It would be impossible and unreasonable to think we can maintain the composure of a monk through all the tough moments in our lives. The goal is to recognize when we are dysregulated and to be able to quickly recover. Having a tool like breathwork allows us to quickly rebound and regain control.

By incorporating the Wim Hof Method breathing technique into your daily routine, you can learn to regulate your nervous system for optimal leadership. Whether you're facing a tough meeting or simply looking to improve focus and productivity, this simple but powerful practice can make a big difference.

How It Works:

1. First, begin by finding a comfortable seated position. You can sit in a chair with your back straight, sit on a cushion with your legs crossed, or lay down.
2. Take 30 deep breaths in a row, inhaling deep into your belly (either through your nose or mouth) and exhaling through your mouth. Make sure to take in as much air as possible each time you inhale, and exhale with ease.
3. After the 30 breaths, take one final deep inhale, let go of your breath and hold on the exhalation. This hold is called the Retention.
4. When you can no longer hold your breath, inhale deeply. Hold this breath for around 10 seconds and then let it go.
5. Repeat for 3-4 rounds.
6. You can incorporate the Wim Hof breathing method into your daily routine by practicing it once or twice a day, or as needed during times of stress.

Here is a guided video to better learn the method:

Box Breathing

Box breathing is another powerful relaxation and stress management technique that has been used by the US Navy SEALs and other elite military units for decades. The goal of box breathing is to help you calm your mind and body, and increase your focus and concentration. It's a great tool to have in your toolkit to help you manage stress, anxiety, and other emotions that can get in the way of your success.

I typically use Wim Hof Method for the proactive daily training, and box breathing as the on-demand tool to help me recover when I find myself acutely affected by stress.

Here's how to do box breathing:

1. Find a comfortable and quiet place to sit or lie down.
2. Close your eyes and take a deep breath in through your nose, counting to four.
3. Hold your breath for a count of four.
4. Exhale through your mouth for a count of four.
5. Hold your breath again for a count of four.
6. Repeat the process for a total of 5-10 cycles.

That's it! The key is to focus on the breath and the count of four. You can adjust the length of the count to suit your needs – for example, you might find it easier to start with a count of three and work your way up to four, or you may prefer to extend the count to 5 or 6.?

Box breathing is a simple technique that can help you manage stress, improve your focus and concentration, and increase your overall sense of calm and well-being. Give it a try the next time you're feeling overwhelmed or stressed out, and see how it works for you.

Here is a guided video to help you practice box breathing: