Simple Breath Techniques to Reset Your Day

No app required. Just inhale, exhale, and reboot.

We all have those days, the ones that start in fast-forward and somehow never let up. Deadlines. Dishes. Notifications. Stress creeps in, tension builds, and before you know it, you're holding your breath without even realizing it.

But here’s the thing: your breath is your built-in reset button. And learning to use it, even for just a minute or two, can shift everything, from your heart rate and mood to your focus and energy.

Breath techniques are simple, no candles, yoga mat, or fancy playlist needed. Just you and the air you're already breathing.

Why Breath Matters

Breathing is the only autonomic function you can consciously control. That means you can use it to communicate directly with your nervous system, slowing your heart rate, calming anxiety, and even sharpening focus.

When you breathe slowly and deeply, your body activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the “rest and digest” mode. This tells your brain: “Hey, we’re safe. You can chill now.”

In contrast, shallow, rapid breathing (which we do when we’re stressed or hunched over screens) keeps your system stuck in fight-or-flight.

Translation? The way you breathe can either fuel stress or dissolve it.

Quick Breath Techniques to Try Today

1. Box Breathing (aka Square Breathing)

Great for: Anxiety, focus, feeling grounded

How to do it:

• Inhale for 4 seconds

• Hold for 4 seconds

• Exhale for 4 seconds

• Hold for 4 seconds

Repeat for 3–5 rounds. Imagine tracing the edges of a square with each phase.

Bonus points if you close your eyes and visualize the corners glowing.

2. 4-7-8 Breathing

Great for: Winding down, calming your nervous system

How to do it:

• Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds

• Hold for 7 seconds

Try it before bed, during stressful moments, or anytime your thoughts feel like they’re stuck on fast-forward.

3. One-Minute Reset

Great for: Busy days, between tasks, mental fog

How to do it:

• Set a 60-second timer

• Take slow, deep breaths, in through your nose, out through your mouth

• Focus on nothing but the rhythm. That’s it. Just one minute. You’ll be surprised how much it helps.

Breathe Like It’s 1985 (Without the Shoulder Pads)

Back in the day, we didn't have phones pinging us every five seconds, but we still needed ways to unplug. Breathwork is your throwback tool for finding calm in the chaos, anytime, anywhere.

So the next time you’re overwhelmed, tired, or just need to hit pause, don’t scroll. Just breathe.

Breath is free, always available, and ridiculously powerful. It can ground you in a moment of panic, energize you during an afternoon slump, or help you fall asleep faster than counting sheep.

So go ahead, reset your rhythm. One breath at a time.

💋Roxie Rewind

(Inhale. Exhale. You got this.)