Breathe In Four, Hold Seven, Breathe Out Eight

Oftentimes, I feel like I can't take a deep breath. It's the first indicator to me that I'm not coping with stress appropriately. I learned a quick remedy--not from a doctor or therapist--from Prevention magazine. It goes like this:

Breathe in for 4 counts.

Hold your breath for 7 counts.

Breathe out slowly for 8 counts.

Usually 3 or 4 times through the process returns my breathing back to normal. Then I can think clearly enough to figure out how to handle the current stressor better.

Try it.