When we think about restoring the nervous system, we often think about sleep.
Sleep is, of course, essential. But restoration is also about what happens while we are awake — and our ability to let go of the tension we carry through the day.
I often notice this in yoga: how much effort the body can continue to hold without us even realising it.
A clenched jaw. Shoulders subtly lifted towards the ears. The muscles around the eyes tightening. The belly held in. Even when we are sitting still, the body can be working.
Over time, these patterns can become so familiar that we stop noticing them.
The body may be resting, but it is not necessarily relaxed.
Chronic muscular tension requires energy to be maintained, and prolonged stress can leave us feeling tired even when we are getting enough sleep. Sometimes what we need is not simply more rest, but a different quality of rest — one where the body feels able to soften and release.
Coming back to the breath
One of the first things I notice when we are stressed is the breath.
It can become quicker and shallower, moving more into the chest. The natural movement of the diaphragm becomes less spacious, and the breath can lose some of its ease.
This is a normal response. When we feel under pressure or threatened, the sympathetic nervous system prepares us to respond.
The problem is when the body stays there.
We can feel physically exhausted while the mind remains busy, restless or on alert. We may be tired enough to want to sleep but not settled enough to truly switch off.
This is where the breath can become a beautiful bridge between the mind and the body.
Slow, steady breathing can influence the autonomic nervous system and support the shift towards a more restful state — the state associated with digestion, recovery, and restoration.
A simple practice
Box breathing is one technique that has been increasingly studied for its effects on stress.
It involves breathing in, holding, breathing out, and holding again, with each part lasting for the same amount of time.
Recent research suggests that this type of controlled breathing can reduce physiological stress reactivity and may support measures of autonomic flexibility such as heart-rate variability. Research has also found short-term reductions in perceived stress, anxiety, and negative mood. ¹ ² ³
But I do not think breathing needs to become another thing we have to do correctly.
For some people, particularly when they are anxious, focusing closely on the breath can make them feel more unsettled.
If that is your experience, you can leave the holds out completely.
Simply begin to slow the breath.
Let the exhalation become a little longer than the inhalation.
And rather than trying to take a bigger breath, see if you can allow the breath to become softer.
Restoring rather than fixing
For me, this is one of the things yoga teaches us so well.
We do not always need to fix ourselves.
Sometimes we need to notice what we are holding and create the conditions for it to release.
We might notice the jaw and allow it to soften. Feel the weight of the shoulders and let them drop. Sense the support of the ground beneath us. Feel the breath moving through the body without needing to change it.
Little by little, the body can begin to recognise that it does not need to be braced.
Restoration is not always about doing less.
Sometimes it is about becoming more aware of the effort we are carrying — and discovering that we can let some of it go.
The breath gives us a way back.
Back into the body.
Back into the present moment.
And, sometimes, back into a feeling of being at ease in ourselves.
If this resonates with you, you’re welcome to explore more about my yoga classes and practice here on my website.
References
McAllister, M. J. et al. (2026). Box breathing and prolonged exhalation reduces markers of physiological stress reactivity in response to a virtual Trier Social Stress Test. Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology.
Dujawara, A. et al. (2026). Systematic Review of Randomised Controlled Trials Evaluating Box Breathing for Stress, Autonomic, and Clinical Outcomes. Applied Physiology and Biofeedback.
McAllister, M. J. et al. (2026). Box breathing and prolonged exhalation reduces markers of physiological stress reactivity in response to a virtual Trier Social Stress Test. Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology.