Why Controlled Breathing Practice is TENSH Habit

TENSH had a critical consideration when it came to sleep. Most research focuses on outcomes such as sleep duration and quality, but these cannot be broken down into habits. Instead, we selected a pre-sleep and post-sleep habit that would benefit sleep duration and quality.

Rising immediately is a post-sleep habit that affects your next sleep and productivity for the day ahead. The simple decision of what to do at your planned waking time sets the tone for the day: do you go back to sleep or get started?

If you get up and break through the sleep inertia (the desire to remain in bed), you can tick off what you need to accomplish. This is important for TENSH habits, such as physical activity, healthy eating, and mindfulness, that require time to be performed. Getting up at your scheduled time is essential to complete these activities before your following commitments of the day, such as school or work.
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Going back to sleep removes the opportunity to complete these tasks and often causes them to disappear. Rising immediately and consistently also helps to manage your circadian rhythm, which regulates your sleep-wake cycles. This makes it easier to fall asleep at night, and over time, it will be easier to wake up at this time.

What’s Essential to Know

TENSH recommends Box breathing, Pursed lip breathing, and the 4-7-8 pattern. These are popular controlled breathing methods. There are plenty of other options to research if you want to start elsewhere.

Box breathing

Box breathing is a simple exercise used by athletes and special forces soldiers to manage their stress response in challenging environments. It is a simple and easy-to-follow method that utilises rhythmic breathing to modulate stress response.

How to do it

Inhale (4 seconds)

Hold (4 seconds)

Exhale (4 seconds)

Hold (4 seconds)

Pursed lip breathing

Pursed-lip breathing is a circular breathing technique that involves inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth. The extended exhalation helps calm the body and mind by reducing the respiratory rate. Pursed-lip breathing is often used to assist in the management of respiratory conditions.

How to do it

Inhale through the nose (2 seconds)

Purse your lips as if about to whistle

Exhale through your mouth (4-6 seconds)

4-7-8 pattern

The 4-7-8 is a nasal breathing pattern that utilises varying durations for each breathing phase. The extended hold and exhalation durations help reduce the respiratory rate and calm the stress response. However, this can be difficult to remember during stressful periods.

How to do it

Inhale through the nose (4 seconds)

Hold (7 seconds)

Exhale through your mouth (4-6 seconds)

Actionable Implementation

There are three things you need to do to build a sustainable controlled breathing practice Select a type
select a time, and create a conducive environment.

1. Select a type

Three options are listed above, and there are hundreds more variations. If you can’t pick one, pick none - just sit down and focus on your breathing for five minutes.

2. Select a time

Time selection is often underappreciated because, while controlled practice can be performed nearly anywhere and at any time, this makes it easier to postpone and then forget. Start by tying your practice to a specific time of day or an activity, such as after waking up or before going to bed, near lunchtime, or when getting into your car.

Practising controlled breathing before or after mindfulness can be beneficial.

3. Create a conductive environment

A quiet and comfortable space will help your controlled breathing practice and allow you to focus on intent. Noisy and busy environments can be distracting and make you feel self-conscious, potentially compromising your practice.

As you progress with this skill, introduce some challenges, such as performing a set of push-ups before practice. This will help simulate a stress response and practice your ability to execute the skill in these conditions.

Track your progress in the TENSH Tracker to gain actionable insights on your performance.

Impact on Chronic Conditions

Controlled breathing practice benefits mental health and wellbeing, in particular anxiety and depression risk factors. Pursed-lip breathing has been demonstrated to improve asthma symptoms and is often included in asthma management education.

Impact on Workplace Health

The impact of controlled breathing on mental health and wellbeing may benefit workplace productivity and resilience during stressful periods.