Relieve your stress in 19 seconds

Sounds like a marketing come on, right? But there’s more than a grain of truth when you use this simple and effective breathing technique.

Developed by wellness guru Dr. Andrew Weill, the 4-7-8 breathing method can settle you down when the world gets uncomfortably janky.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Inhale deeply through your nose for a count of 4
2. Hold your breath for a count of 7
3. Exhale fully through your mouth to a count of 8
4. Repeat at least 4 times

Alia and I introduce a number of resilience exercises to our coaching clients. This one has been a keeper for quite a few people. Also, there’s sound neuroscience behind this. When your exhalations are longer than your inhalations, it activates the parasympathetic nervous symptom, the part of your neurobiology that chills you out.

Fun fact: breathing is the only bodily function that is both autonomically and voluntarily controlled. That’s why breathing is such a powerful tool in the quest for surviving and thriving in the chaos of today.