Give me 30 seconds and I’ll show you a super simple way to stop stress in its tracks as soon as you start to feel it!

It’s called 🖐️5-Finger Breathing, and it goes like this:

1️⃣ Hold one hand in front of you, palm facing up.

2️⃣ Use the index finger of your opposite hand to trace along the outline of your fingers.

3️⃣ As you trace up the outside of your thumb, take a deep breath in.

4️⃣ As you trace down the inside of your thumb, slowly breathe out.

5️⃣ Repeat this in-and-out breathing for each finger—inhale as you trace up, exhale as you trace down.

6️⃣ Continue until you’ve traced all five fingers and feel more calm and centered.

This works because deep and slow breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which makes you feel calm and relaxed.

Plus you can do it anytime and anywhere.

Prevention is the best medicine, especially when it comes to stress. If you start to make a habit of noticing when you feel stressed and taking a moment to reset, you’ll train your body to be more resilient and navigate the holiday stress like a boss.

Drop a ❤️ if this was helpful and be sure to follow for more simple ways to stay healthy ☀️

Laborde S, Allen MS, Borges U, et al. Effects of voluntary slow breathing on heart rate and heart rate variability: A systematic review and a meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2022;138:104711. [link]