Stress can come in a multitude of forms, and it hits at varying levels on a case-by-case or person-by-person basis. Regardless of how you’re impacted by stress, one thing that’s certain is that when it hits, it’s far from an easy thing to overcome. This is why the latest tidbit revealed by neuroscientist and host of the Huberman Lab podcast, Andrew Huberman, can work in your favor, and it’s even something we do while sleeping.
Most interestingly of all, this is a tactic that dogs actually use when they initially lie down to rest.
Andrew Huberman Details Breathing Tactic That Can Help Quickly Help Relieve Stress
While breathing techniques can be a popular choice for those looking to help ease stress, this specific approach, which Huberman explained on Real Time With Bill Maher, stands out.
“It turns out the fastest way to calm down under conditions of stress is not to engage in self-talk, like ‘I’m going to try and calm down.’ That doesn’t generally work, right?” ‘Huberman said. “The fastest way is to use your physiology to lower what’s called your level of autonomic arousal, aka stress.”
“And it turns out that there’s a very specific pattern of breathing that you do unconsciously in your sleep, a dog does it right before it goes down for sleep, in which you do a double inhale to maximally inflate your lungs and then you exhale all of that air.”
Huberman explains that it takes about five seconds to do the breathing technique, which can be seen below.
“That’s the fastest way we know to de-stress your mind and body,” Huberman adds.
It’s an interesting approach, and if you have a dog, you’ve likely seen your pup do this frequently when it lies down to go to sleep. However, it’s noteworthy that we as humans also use this while we sleep, and many may not have even realized that was the case before seeing this video.
Regardless, whether you find yourself in a stressful situation or are simply seeking out a quick method for those tough moments when stress overtakes your body, this is a great tool to consider trying.
Related: Andrew Huberman Reveals 6 Running Alternatives, Including Top Travel Workout Options
