Having recently come very close to losing my partner due a heart attack brought on by stress, (no other risk factors, eats well, doesn't smoke, no family history, exercises religiously, not sedentary when not exercising, low cholesterol, good BP, and a 95% blockage of the left main artery) this is a topic I've taken a very specific interest in of late.
Since the only risk factor was stress, when we looked at that, there were outward signs of the effects of excess cortisol, (produced by stress) that were evident and confirmed this is where the focus should be. That, and she has a lifelong habit of stressing over every damn thing, so it was an obvious diagnosis.
In researching ways to help her reduce/cope/manage I came across something so damn simple you'd swear it was one of those stupid twatter life hacks that's don't really work, but are hailed as "genius", "life-changing" "everything!!!" and the like.
If you stress a lot and are trying to manage it, this might actually BE life-changing. It's called box breathing and it's something taught to Navy Seals to help them regain balance in stressful situations. She's a real skeptic but noticed the difference in her heart rate immediately. I, being even more skeptical, monitored my heart rate at various times and as I performed it and noted a significant difference.
So I'm passing it along for anyone who might need it. You can do this anywhere, anytime and inconspicuously. But most importantly it works.
Here's how it works:
- Breathe in for four seconds.
- Hold air in your lungs for four seconds.
- Exhale for four seconds.
- Hold your breath, lungs emptied, for four seconds.
That's it.
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