Breathing is a tool you can use to calm the stress response in your body. There are 3 principles that help us understand how and why breathing helps us respond to stress. 

1. Breathing triggers a parasympathetic relaxation response that ripples through your whole body 

2. Breathing gives you a sense of calm which not only feels good, but also gives you a sense of control and improves the likelihood that you'll find a solution to whatever just temporarily overwhelmed your ability to cope. 

3. Being unable to calm yourself and your nervous system creates long-term health problems. Basically, breathing can give you your brain back.