Your breath controls your brain and your heart because a lack of oxygen will get your body’s attention faster than anything. 

 

You can train your brain to stay calm in stressful situations by using your breath to your benefit. You can also train your body to use oxygen better, which gives you more energy. 

 

One way to do this is through combining deep breathing and exposure to cold. Deep breathing in the cold calms your heart rate down and reduces stress on the body, leading to extra energy. This works because it enables your body to distribute oxygen to the cells in your body more efficiently. 

 

To try this out for yourself all you need is turn the shower to cold for the last 30 seconds, using slow, deep breathing to help you adjust to the shock of the cold. The cold shock is not always fun, but the energy it gives for the rest of the day can be well worth the short term discomfort.