What physical action interrupts the body’s stress feedback loop via respiration control?

Taking a slow breath in through the nose, holding, and releasing slowly through the mouth

The body's physical reaction to stress often involves rapid, shallow breathing which reinforces the perception of danger, creating a continuous feedback loop that maintains a state of high alert. A deliberate, small act of self-assertion can interrupt this cycle through controlled respiration. This technique involves conscious regulation of the breath pattern: inhaling slowly and deliberately through the nose, briefly retaining that air, and then exhaling slowly through the mouth. This measured, controlled rhythm directly signals to the nervous system that immediate threat has passed, offering a moment of control over one's own physiological response despite external chaos.