A neuroscientist shares the 3 exercises she does to stop stress and anxiety.

During stressful situations, our brain can feel like our worst enemy, causing us to shut down with anxious thoughts or heart palpitations.

Intense anxiety activates the sympathetic nervous system, a network of nerves that trigger the “fight or flight” response to perceived danger. But instead of protecting us, it is sometimes inconvenient — for example, if you’re at a job interview and trying to impress a potential future employer.

You should be sitting comfortably for this. I do it at my desk when I notice key symptoms of stress like shallow breathing, tense shoulders or an increased heart rate.

1. Take a deep, long inhale through your nose for five seconds and hold.
2. Take another quick inhale for one second and hold for three seconds.
3. Sigh a slow, long exhale through your mouth for six seconds.
4. Repeat the cycle three times.

That quick second inhale causes the air sacs in the lung, which collapses when we’re done inhaling, to reinflate with air. As a result, the surface area in the lungs increases, and releases carbon dioxide from the body more efficiently. This helps to relax the body.

Long exhales cause a slight increase in pressure to the receptors in the heart, signaling the brain to slow down the heart rate.