When our brain identifies something as a threat, a cascade of chemical reactions is triggered. Because of them, we lose the ability to think clearly and act in the framework of primitive reactions of ancient regions of the brain. At the same time, there is often no objective threat, but our experiences also really include a stressful regime. And it drains us.

In total, there are two responses to stress: "fight or flight" and "freeze." The first is to calm down and activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for restoring energy and sleeping. With the second — on the contrary, to cheer up. Stimulating the sympathetic nervous system will help you find the strength to act. Both reactions can be turned off deliberately. This will take a couple of minutes and express techniques from bodily practices.

Tips for a Fight-or-Flight Response

• Seamless breathing. One of the favorite tricks of trauma specialist Paul Linden. The bottom line is to smooth your breathing as much as possible: there should be no stops and changes in pace, inhalation and exhalation should last the same amount of time. The exact opposite of how we breathe during stress: convulsively, in jerks, as if we were about to suffocate.
• Bend over slightly. It doesn't matter if you are sitting or standing, just give your back a slightly concave shape. Resembles a child's yoga posture for recovery and relaxation between more challenging asanas.
• Sway. Why do babies calm down and fall asleep when they are swayed? Because wiggling suppresses the activity of the reticular activating system, the gateway between sensory signals and the brain. This also works for adults: you can swing in a hammock, on a swing, or just sitting, back and forth or from side to side.
• Close your eyes. In the Czech Republic, there is a popular Dunkeltherapie method, "dark therapy:" a person spends a week in a room without any lighting. There is little evidence that this is useful. However, bright light does activate areas of the brain that are responsible for alertness. To reduce arousal, try closing your eyes for a couple of minutes. You can wear a sleep mask to make it darker. The main thing is not to fall asleep.

For the “Freeze” Reaction

• Breathe with your chest. Usually, breathing practices teach us diaphragmatic breathing: deep, slow, and involving the abdominal muscles. This is great for relaxation. But to cheer up, do the opposite: breathe quickly and shallowly, in the upper third of the chest, as if inspired, angry, or excited.
• Jump in place. Such aerobics, even in small doses, invigorates no worse than coffee, and at the same time stimulates the production of hormones of happiness — due to the movement and activation of tactile receptors on the feet. If you don't have the strength to jump, you can bend your knees and lift only your heels off the floor. Or stand on tiptoe and then suddenly drop back on your heels.
• Massage your ears. Use your fingers to knead your ears and make silly faces, yawning deeply and sticking out your tongue to stretch your facial muscles. You can press on the area around the eyes and the bridge of the nose, rub them — that is, do what we all do when we get tired.