The breath is one of the most direct ways to influence the autonomic nervous system, which regulates stress and recovery in the body.

When breathing becomes fast and shallow, the body shifts into a sympathetic (“fight or flight”) state, leading to increased heart rate, muscle tension, and heightened stress. When breathing slows, the opposite occurs—heart rate decreases, relaxation increases, and the body moves into a parasympathetic (“rest and digest”) state that supports recovery.