My Daily Routine That Actually Works
Today world is full of distractions and stress. For brains it is very confusing as there is no difference for him from a email that stresses you that is not life Threatening vs tiger that wants to eat you right now.
Did you know panic attacks & anxaiety hit when you’re over breathing? — fast swallow breaths (12-16+ per minute instead of ideally 6) flood your body with oxygen, tense your muscles because of calcium release, and make SpO2 hit 98-100% on iWatch (starting from iWatch 8 you can measure SpO2 automatically in Europe). It feels like you can’t breathe, but slowing down fixes it fast.
Here’s my simple daily breathing routine using apps and tricks that keep me calm.
Morning: iBreathe App
5 seconds in, 5 seconds out. 5-20 minutes. Or walk outside — 4 steps in, 4 steps out when having a panic attack. Resets everything for me after 1-2km walk.
Alternatives breathing to try (harder to follow for long time): 4 – 6 breathing, 4 seconds in, 6 seconds out and 4-7-8, 4 seconds in, 7 seconds hold, 8 seconds out that should be effective already maximum 4-8 cycles only!
Afternoon: Mindspo Meditation
22-30 min Mindspo method + “Thinking Samm when breathing in and saa when breathing out and coming back to it even if mind wants to wonder” breathing (better sitting with straight back with eyes closed). For sudden anxiety, box breathe: 4 in, 4 hold, 4 out, 4 hold or 4 in and 4 out but best is to go for a walk.
As an alternative: Wim Hof Method
10 minutes. Deep breaths + breath holds 30/40 in and keep your breath even if only 15 seconds or even less, then if you need to breath, take 1 breath in and wait another maximum 15 seconds. Pair with legs up on the wall 90 degrees angle and hands over your head but ideally pair with an even short walk — calms the nervous system like nothing else. Repeat 3/4 cycles.
Night Wake-Ups: Jacobsen Relaxation
10 min tensing/releasing muscles and / or 5-5 breathing. Gets me back to sleep most nights, even after toilet breaks. Not eating too late helps to sleep true all night.
Panic Attack Now?
- Breathe into a paper bag (recycles your CO2, calms fast).
- Ground yourself: touch something, think about the item color and texture, focus away from the feeling.
- Say “fuck it, come then” — sometimes stops it cold, worked for me few times.
- Always go outside. Forest walks> sofa scrolling.
Use Brick app to help to do less mindless scrolling - I also sit in the forest in summer season with naked foot in the ground for grounding, outdoor swimming has the same effect, has a calming effect too or also cold plunge to 2 degrees water but this can be too much for the body that is already stressed and you can even die from that adrenalin rush after sauna jumping in very cold water so be careful.
Breathing works because it balances O2/CO2, boosts HRV (heart rate variability), and signals “safe” to your vagus nerve. Walking adds movement to burn off stress hormones.
I add NeoRhythm devise (20 min mornings) (plan to try Nurosym vagus nerve simulator in the future) , Sunday saunas (no phone), and weekly acupuncture, biweekly Cardisuit CO2 bathing with occasional lymphatic massages to help the body to relax and stay in rest and digest mode instead of fight or flight mode. Do more of what you love, less of what drains you.
Modern life overstimulates — breathing time is your reset.
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