So I've been doing this thing for a while now where before any important meeting or presentation I just close my eyes and breathe at a specific pace. 5 seconds in, 5 seconds out.
6 breaths per minute. Started doing it on apps like Headspace and Calm but honestly they have too much going on. I just wanted something simple, breathe in, breathe out, done.
Turns out theres actual science behind why it works. Stanford did a study in 2023 with 108 people, structured breathing at this pace reduced anxiety more than meditation. Something about the vagus nerve activating on the exhale and your amygdala calming down.
Navy SEALs aparently use the same technique under pressure which is pretty cool.
Anyway so I built my own version. Its just particles on a screen that expand when you inhale and contract when you exhale. 1 minute, 6 breaths.
If anyone wants to try it once.
by Mastbubbles