Of the many changes that occur once the stress response is activated, our breath is one of the key changes, shifting from a slow, measured breath to a fast, shallow one. As a result our body is subjected to a host of changes, whilst our immune system is suppressed, thereby exposing us to an increased risk of disease and illness. It is suggested that it can take up to 72 hours before the body returns to normal biochemically, which means, if during that time the stress response is activated, you remain in a constant state of stress. This in turn can lead to burn out, resulting in mental decline and depression.

Now think of how many times you got flustered, annoyed, worried and so forth in the last 72 hours. Additionally, we develop poor habits of breathing due to poor posture and a more sedentary lifestyle. As I said earlier in the section on body talk, we have become a nation of slumpers. Crunched up behind the wheel of a car or hunched over a desk for several hours at a time, or just sitting on the couch means that we are not taking full breaths and therefore we are using less of our lung capacity.

A great way to see correct breathing in action is to notice how a baby or a young, relaxed child breathes. You will notice that their belly inflates with each breath in and deflates with each out breath. Little movement will be noticed in the upper chest area. Yet, chest breathing has become the norm for many people all over the world.

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