Repeated negative thoughts Worries Disturbed
sleep Continuous notifications Unmanaged fears Mental and environmental pressure And above all: incorrect breathing Real damage from chronically high cortisol: You gain weight even when eating little (increased abdominal fat) Testosterone collapses Memory shuts down Skin ages The immune system weakens You sleep badly, wake up worse You feel nervous, irrational, fragile All of this is not “character”. It’s altered biochemistry. 2. WHAT HAPPENS IN THE BODY WHEN THERE’S TOO MUCH CORTISOL The body goes into “fight or flight” mode. But you don’t run away and you don’t fight… you stay still. Cortisol builds up. The system stays activated. And you burn out. Visible and invisible effects: Fast and shallow chest breathing Shoulders closed, chest tense, gaze down Heart racing, even when standing still Brain in confusion → anxiety, overreactions Blocked digestion → bloating, reflux, irritable bowel Tight muscles (neck, jaw, back) And the worst part? You get used to it.
Become your “new normal.” But inside you’re shutting down.
3. BREATHING – The solution you’ve always had… but don’t use
Breathing is the remote control for your nervous system.
Breathing well ➝ calm system, safe body.
Breathing poorly ➝ alert system, body in the trenches.
How breathing reduces cortisol:
Activates the parasympathetic system (rest, regeneration)
Lowers your heart rate
Calms your thoughts
Restores natural hormone flow
Brings you back into balance
The practical solution – 4-4-4-4 circular breathing (military technique)
Do it 3 times a day, especially when you feel tense, confused, short of breath:
Inhale for 4 seconds (nose)
Hold for 4 seconds
Exhale for 4 seconds (mouth)
Pause for 4 seconds
Repeat for 3–5 minutes, eyes closed, sitting up straight, shoulders open. Add body language:
Open your chest
Raise your chin slightly
Widen your gaze
Relax your jaw
The brain reads the body before the thoughts.
And if the body says “I’m calm”, the brain believes it.
CONCLUSION
Stress cannot be seen. But it can be felt everywhere.
And breathing is the bridge between chaos and centering.
There is no need to escape. There is no need to fight. You
need to breathe. In the right way. Every day.
Have you found yourself in these feelings?
Save this post, share it. Make it reach those who live in apnea without even knowing it.
Freeing yourself from stress starts with a breath.
