Here’s an Instant Stress Reliever

BySnowden McFall

meditation as stress reliever from Stress ExpressStress is occurring at an alarming rate. In our 24/7 world, more and more people are experiencing stress, anxiety, overwhelm and depression. So what can you do, right now?

The Astonishing Power of Breath

Try this. Hold your breath for as long as you can, until it almost hurts to let it out. Unless you are a professional athlete or extreme yogi, you probably couldn’t hold it for long. Without breath, the body, mind and spirit cannot function.

And yet we all forget what an incredible resource this is. Breath literally keeps us alive, fuels our interactions and enables us to function. Without it, we are severely hampered. Having had pneumonia a few years ago, I learned quickly how very debilitating lack of breath can be. We all take it for granted.

Key Takeaways

  • Breath is the fastest available lever for calming your nervous system in the moment, no equipment or appointment required.
  • Deep breathing and meditation are Regulation tools: they manage your physiological state before stress hijacks your thinking.
  • Meditation’s benefits are well documented, from lower blood pressure to better immune function and reduced insomnia.
  • Consistency matters more than duration. A few minutes of practiced breathing, done regularly, builds real capacity over time.

The Instant Stress Reliever: Breath

Breathwork is one of the fastest ways to engage the Regulation element of the Leadership Resilience System, the part of resilience that governs how your nervous system responds under pressure, before strategy or willpower ever come into play.

  • Breathe deeply at least 3 times. Put your hands on your lower belly, fill it up all the way and let it out slowly. Do this several times to regain control and calm your system. Notice how you feel.
  • Use breath to monitor emotions. We are not our feelings, and when our emotions take over, we are not our best selves. When experiencing anger, upset, frustration, or fear, stop and breathe deeply. Visualize a positive scene in nature, perhaps mountains or beaches. Focus on that. Let go.
  • Learn how to meditate. Meditation is a powerful healing agent. It:
    • lowers blood pressure and increases circulation
    • improves immune function and memory
    • shortens hospital stays
    • decreases insomnia
    • helps relieve stress and ADHD symptoms
    • helps reverse heart disease

There are many different ways to meditate. Here’s one:

Start with the deep breathing above and focus on the breath. If thoughts come up, observe them, let them drift by like leaves in the wind. Picture a beautiful nature scene in a forest, visualize a waterfall. Imagine you are standing in the gentle waterfall and let all your worries and fears wash away. Practice this over and over until you can meditate for at least 10 minutes. It can make a huge difference in your well-being.

You can control your stress rather than having it control you. Try deep breathing as a solution. It’s fast, easy and free.

This is one tool among several. For the full set of research backed techniques, including sleep, movement, and connection, see Stress Management Strategies.

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If you want to build regulation and the other resilience elements deliberately rather than in the moment, that is the work behind Leadership Resilience Coaching.

©2015, 2018, 2026 Snowden McFall All Rights Reserved. You may share this post and reprint with author reference and copyright.

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