Fast, at-home fix for the breathing glitch that’s sapping our energy

High levels of stress and anxiety alter normal breathing patterns to make millions of women tired and foggy, asserts Kristoffer Rhoads, Ph.D., a clinical neuropsychologist at the University of Washington. “Stress shifts us to a shallow, rapid type of breathing through the mouth and chest instead of taking deep breaths through the nose, belly and diaphragm,” he explains. This disrupts the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood to keep us in fight-or-flight mode, creating a cycle of anxiety that leads to insomnia, fatigue and more.

If you find yourself yawning or sighing frequently, you’re likely experiencing dysfunctional breathing. The good news: The strategies below can reprogram your breathing to ease stress, improve sleep and restore energy.

“Taking full, deep breaths using the diaphragm can relieve stress and help your breathing pattern return to normal,” says Bruce Levy, M.D., chief of pulmonary and critical care medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and a professor at Harvard Medical School. Harvard research shows that doing so reduces the risk of chronic stress by 67%. To get the perks, Dr. Levy advises the 4-7-8 technique: Inhale for 4 seconds, hold it for 7 seconds and exhale for 8 seconds. Repeat three times a day or whenever you’re stressed, focusing on inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth.

A simple exercise can expand your rib cage by 17% so it’s easier to take deep breaths and reinforce healthy breathing, say scientists in Pulmonary

Medicine. To do: Once a day, lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat, hands on your thighs. Breathe deeply, then push your hands into your thighs, suck in your belly and, without taking a breath, expand your rib cage. Hold for a few seconds, then relax and breathe normally. Repeat up to five times.