Slowing down with the power of your breath

The Power of Breathing in Slowing Down by Lovisa Engstrand 

In a world where everything moves fast—notifications, deadlines, and the constant hum of urgency—it’s easy to feel like we’re being pulled in a thousand directions. But what if I told you that the simple act of breathing could change how you experience time, shift your nervous system out of stress mode, improve your overall wellbeing, and help you feel more present? 

Breathwork has become one of the newest health trends, and rightfully so. It is time that this ancient practice gets the credit it deserves. Spend a moment reflecting on this: Breath is life. Life begins with breath. Life ends with breath. How we breathe during life, matters. Why isn’t this as common knowledge as the benefits of having a healthy diet or incorporating movement in our daily lives? 

How Breath Can Shift You from Stress to Calm

When we’re stressed, our breath tends to be shallow, quick, and stuck in the upper chest—fueling our body's fight-or-flight response. But intentional breathing can activate the parasympathetic nervous system (our "rest-and-digest" mode), sending signals of safety, calm, and recovery to the body. 

Techniques like slow diaphragmatic breathing (breathing deeply into the belly and letting your ribcage expand laterally rather than the chest), extended exhales (breathing out longer than you inhale), and nasal breathing can immediately start to shift you from a reactive, stressed-out state into a more grounded, calm one.

A simple exercise to try:

• Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds

• Exhale slowly through your nose for 6-8 seconds

• Repeat for just 1-2 minutes

This signals to your brain: You’re safe. You don’t have to rush. There’s time.

Not All Stress is Created Equal: Learning to Ride the Waves

Stress gets a bad reputation. We talk about it like it’s the enemy, something to eliminate. But stress isn’t the problem—it’s how we handle it.

Think of stress like the ocean. Some waves are exciting, giving you a rush of energy and focus. Others knock you off your board, leaving you gasping for air. The difference? Your ability to ride the wave and recover.

Good Stress vs. Bad Stress: The Key is Regulation

Not all stress is harmful. In fact, some stress is essential for growth, motivation, and resilience. It’s only when stress becomes chronic and unmanaged that it starts breaking down your body and mind, leading to chronic disease and other health implications. 

The Secret to Handling Stress: Train Your Nervous System

The key isn’t avoiding stress—it’s learning how to switch it off when you don’t need it.

Think of your nervous system like a muscle. The more you practice moving between activation (fight-or-flight) and relaxation (rest-and-digest), the better you get at handling stress without getting overwhelmed. In the realm of science, we refer to this “zone” of capability to deal with stress as your window of tolerance. By training your nervous system to be flexible in going from fight-or-flight to rest-and-digest, via your breath, your window of tolerance to stress increases. This is where breathwork comes in.

Breathwork: Your Built-in Recovery Tool and Remote Control

Breathwork helps you:

Turn off stress when it’s no longer useful
Process and release tension before it builds up
Strengthen your ability to handle high-pressure situations

Instead of letting stress control you, you learn to control stress.

The Perception of Time and the Magic of Slowing Down

Have you ever noticed how time feels like it’s slipping away when you're rushing? Stress and urgency make us feel like we don’t have enough time. But slowing the breath slows our perception of time.

Breathing mindfully creates space between our thoughts and reactions. Instead of feeling like you're being chased by your to-do list, a few deep breaths can shift your focus to the present moment—helping you move through your day with more ease, clarity, and control.

How to Weave Breathing into Your Day

You don’t need to carve out extra time to benefit from breathwork—you can slip it into daily moments. Small, consistent moments of breath awareness can shift your whole experience of life.

Written by

Lovisa Engstrand

Founder of the exhale collective 

IG / Tiktok

Learn more and get practical guidance from Lovisa Engstrands company, the exhale colletive.