It is common for people under stress to fail to breathe properly – either by holding their breath or shallow breathing.
The reason we do this is because of increased tension in the muscles we use to breathe – the chest, neck, stomach, diaphragm and shoulders – as well as involuntary over inhalation or exhalation of air caused by too much adrenalin.
Think about the times this may have happened to you, most likely just prior to a big speech, presentation or ahead of an interview for a job you really wanted. But also, perhaps during a meeting when waiting for your turn to speak.
When we are relaxed there is a natural pause between the in and out breaths. When we are tense or nervous that essential pause disappears.
When we are truly relaxed our stomach blows up like a balloon when we breathe in and shrink away when we breathe out. When this happens, we are getting all the oxygen we need to perform as well as slowing down our heart-rates and increasing our focus.
The flipside? Holding our breath takes away crucial oxygen but also puts additional strain on our bodies.
Failing to breathe properly impairs both physical and mental performance.
Not something you want to happen immediately prior to standing up to deliver an important presentation.
Military special forces practice a technique known as boxed breathing immediately before an operation where being focussed may be the difference between success or failure or even life and death.
This simple technique means breathing in slowly for a count of four, so your diaphragm expands followed by your stomach. You then hold this breath for a count of four, before breathing out for four counts and finally holding your point of exhalation for four.
One of the goals of boxed breathing is to stop the shallow breathing that can result from a fight or flight response the body enters when feeling stressed.
It is a technique I recommend clients use as part of their pre-performance plan but also during their rehearsal process for a speech, pitch or presentation.
By doing this, greater awareness of breathing occurs, and people are better able to spot when their breathing is beginning to change in a way that could become a barrier to them performing well.
Remember: communicating in a high-stakes environment is physically (and mentally) demanding. The only time you should ever hold your breath when putting yourself under physical strain is when swimming underwater.
Next time you’re preparing for a big communication moment give box breathing a try and watch how your focus, awareness and performance improve.