Calm: Mastering Stress with Every Breath

Inhale peace, hold insight, and exhale stress in this episode of 'Pause Here.' Get ready to take a breather with the Calm breathing pattern, where we dive into its soothing history, unpack the science, and explore its power to chill out your day. Discover how inhaling for 4, holding for 2, and exhaling for 6 isn't just a pattern—it's a lifestyle! Join us for real-world stories, breathe-easy tips, and a guide to turning every heavy sigh into a sigh of relief. Tune in to master the subtle art of keeping calm and breathing on.

Below, you’ll find a comprehensive bibliography of all the sources we utilized in this episode.

• Wahbeh, H., Goodrich, E., Goy, E. and Oken, B.S., 2016. Mechanistic pathways of mindfulness meditation in combat veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of clinical psychology, 72(4), pp.365-383.
• Malow, B.A., Edwards, J., Marzec, M., Sagher, O. and Fromes, G., 2000. Effects of vagus nerve stimulation on respiration during sleep: a pilot study. Neurology, 55(10), pp.1450-1454.
• Jahnke, R., Larkey, L., Rogers, C., Etnier, J. and Lin, F., 2010. A comprehensive review of health benefits of qigong and tai chi. American journal of health promotion, 24(6), pp.e1-e25.
• Indik, L., 2009. The End of Breath for Singing: Exhalation and the Control of Breath at the End of the Phrase. Journal of Singing, 66(2), p.131.
• Herhaus, B., 2024. Alterations in pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-alpha and stimulation of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway in individuals with panic disorder using slow-paced breathing with HRV-BF–a randomized controlled trial. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 160, p.106751.
• Golaszewski, T. and Fisher, B., 2002. Heart check: the development and evolution of an organizational heart health assessment. American Journal of Health Promotion, 17(2), pp.132-153.
• Garg, P., Mendiratta, A., Banga, A., Bucharles, A., Piccoli, M.V.F., Kamaraj, B., Qasba, R.K., Bansal, V., Thimmapuram, J., Pargament, R. and Kashyap, R., 2024. Effect of breathing exercises on blood pressure and heart rate: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Cardiology Cardiovascular Risk and Prevention, 20, p.200232.
• French, J., Brown, R.J. and Bell, T., 2024. Breathing techniques in the treatment of depression: A scoping review and proposal for classification. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 24(3), pp.870-883.
• Chiesa, A. and Malinowski, P., 2011. Mindfulness‐based approaches: Are they all the same?. Journal of clinical psychology, 67(4), pp.404-424.