When Your Mind Won’t Stop Racing
“You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realise this, and you will find strength”
I still miss home in the UK, and some days feel harder than others. Today was heavy. My stomach was in knots and my thoughts would not stop.
Was the universe testing me? If so, I passed.
What kept me grounded was my breath, alongside years of working on myself.
Marcus Aurelius offers a useful perspective here. Instead of allowing external events to determine our emotions, we can focus on our responses. Patience, self-control and rational thinking lead to better outcomes than letting fear or frustration take over.
Modern psychology echoes this. Approaches like cognitive behavioural therapy encourage us to recognise unhelpful thought patterns and focus on what lies within our control.
These are four simple breathing habits I rely on when anxiety spikes.
1. Coherent Breathing (5 minutes)
This is easy to remember and easy to do anywhere, even while standing in a queue.
Inhale through your nose for 5 seconds.
Exhale through your nose for 5 seconds.
Keep going for 5 minutes.
Studies show coherent breathing helps lower low mood and anxiety. Many smartwatches have built-in timers for this, but counting in your head works just as well.
2. Alternate Nostril Breathing (5 minutes)
This lowers your heart rate and forces you to focus on the movement, which stops your mind from wandering.
Sit comfortably and bring your right hand to your face.
Close your right nostril with your thumb and inhale through the left.
Close your left nostril with your ring finger, release your thumb, and exhale through the right.
Inhale through the right, switch nostrils, and exhale through the left.
Continue for 5 minutes.
It feels awkward at first, but the rhythm quickly becomes automatic.
3. 4–7–8 Breathing (1 minute)
This works directly on your nervous system to slow down fight or flight responses.
Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds.
Hold your breath for 7 seconds.
Exhale slowly through your mouth for 8 seconds.
Repeat 4 times.
Making the exhale longer than the inhale slows your heart rate. It is particularly useful if you are trying to sleep.
4. Humming Bee Breath (5 minutes)
This is an old yoga technique that lowers stress quickly and helps clear your sinuses by increasing nitric oxide in your nose.
Sit comfortably.
Use your thumbs to gently press the small flap outside your ears closed.
Inhale deeply through your nose.
Keep your mouth closed and exhale while making a steady humming sound.
Repeat for a few minutes.
The only thing I could actually control today was my reaction, and that is where the breath comes in.
Your breath is the one thing you can always come back to. It takes practice, staying with it more than getting it perfect. Five minutes a day makes a real difference.
If you are feeling overwhelmed right now, pick one and try it for sixty seconds. Later has a way of never coming.
