Science says: Try 5 post-workout breathwork hacks

In moments of high stress or after an intense workout, there’s a no-fail way to bring your body back to calm: downregulation.

What is downregulation? It’s a way of calming the sympathetic nervous system which floods your body with energy, and activating the parasympathetic nervous system – shifting your body out of fight or flight and into rest and digest mode.

The best way to downregulate is through breathing. We’ll help you unlock this natural calming power with 5 quick and effective downregulation breathwork exercises.

The benefits of downregulation breathing

There’s more to downregulation breathing than simply calming your body and mind. It helps to:

• slow your breathing and heart rate
• improve the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to your muscles during and after training
• increase blood circulation, reducing fatigue and soreness to boost recovery
• encourage the release of calming neurotransmitters and reduce levels of stress hormones like cortisol.

Different breathing techniques can help you tap into these benefits, and can also help you fall asleep faster and achieve deep rest. Save these breathwork exercises to build up your ability to down regulate after training, during times of stress or anxiety, and before bed.