Ever been told to just breathe? About as useful as being told to calm down? The truth though, is that our breath is one of our most effective tools in managing our stress response. When we are in fight or flight (parasympathetic nervous system), our bodies are getting ready to run away from that tiger or wrestle that crocodile. This is because our brains don’t really distinguish between emotional and physical danger. Part of the physiological response to stress is that we sto