7 November

If you ever feel anxious or stressed (all of us), here's (I think) genius health advice. Just let yourself breathe through your nose for a while. Gently, without noise. Don't try to suck air in or blow it out. Close your mouth. At first that will feel a bit weird, like you're starving for air, but that's the body correcting your imbalance, stress and anxiety are nearly always about hyperventilating i.e. taking in too much oxygen, breathing out too much carbon dioxide. Your body preparing to flee or fight. I've circled probably the most amazing thing that does, it restores natural breathing rhythm. We habitually hold our breaths or hyperventilate. Breathing should be a non-conscious act, 'take a deep breath' is a load of shite. Don't fiddle with it. Being active will tend to remove stress and anxiety because the body then needs the extra oxygen and the breathing pattern normalises by itself. But while not active, just close your mouth and make your body breathe through your nose. It has lots of other health benefits too, some listed here.