Stress is a normal part of life that is not always as bad as it may seem. For example, a 2013 study from researchers at the University of California, Berkeley found that acute stress caused stems in the brains of rats to proliferate into new nerve cells that ultimately improved the animals’ mental performance. That led researchers to conclude that intermittent stressful events can improve alertness, which in turn can help individuals perform better.

When noting the potentially positive effects of stress, it’s important to note that those rewards are only reaped when stress is acute. VeryWellMind notes acute stress is commonly experienced a few times each day in the face of an immediate threat. Prolonged stress, often referred to as chronic stress, is dangerous, as it can contribute to conditions like high blood pressure that increase individuals’ risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke. Combatting chronic stress may require lifestyle changes and the adoption of additional strategies, including breathing techniques.

Skeptics may question the efficacy of breathing as a means to combatting stress. However, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing notes that studies have determined breathing exercises can help to alleviate stress by tricking the brain into thinking a person is in a different emotional state than he or she is actually in. When a person is confronting a stressful situation, breathing speeds up and becomes irregular and shallow. Breathing exercises help people slow down their breathing, thus tricking the brain into thinking a person is in a calm state where no threat is perceived.

Deep breathing exercises can help people confront stressful situations, and WebMD offers a guideline people can look to as they to seek to calm their nerves.

WebMD notes that short, shallow breaths into the chest are common but can contribute to feelings of anxiety and fatigue. Deep breathing techniques are designed to teach people how to take bigger breaths. A deep breathing exercise can begin after a person finds a comfortable position and then breathes in through the nose and lets the belly fill with air. Then breathe out through the nose before placing one hand on the belly and the other on the chest. Feel the belly rise as you breathe in and then feel it lower as you breathe out. Take three additional full, deep breaths.

Focus can help make a deep breathing exercise more effective. WebMD recommends using a picture in your mind and a word or phrase to help relax you. Close the eyes before taking a handful of big, deep breaths. When breathing in, imagine the air is filled with a sense of peace and calm. When breathing out, imagine stress is leaving with that exhaled air. A word or phrase can be utilized when breathing in and out to reinforce these feelings. WebMD recommends continuing these exercises for 10 to 20 minutes.

Wellness involves various strategies designed to promote better overall health, and such approaches include ways to combat stress.