Deep breathing is both calming and energizing. The energy you feelfrom a few minutes of careful breathe is not nervous or hyper, but thatcalm, steady energy we all need. Slow, steady, and quiet breathinggives a message to your nervous system: Be calm.

Whole books have been written on yoga breathing. Here is one5-minute Breath Break. (Read through the instructions several timesbefore you try the practice.)

1. Sit with your spine as straight as possible. Use a chair ifnecessary but don't slump into it. Feet flat on the floor with kneesdirectly over the center of your feet. Use a book or cushion under yourfeet if they do not rest comfortably on the floor. Hands are on thetops of your legs.

2. Close your eyes gently and let them rest behind closed lids.

3. Think about your ribs, at the front, back, and at the sides of your body. Your lungs are behind those ribs.

4. Feel your lungs filling up, your ribs expanding out and up. Feelyour lungs emptying, your ribs coming back down and in. Don't push thebreath.

5. The first few times you do this, do it for 2 to 3 minutes, thendo it for up to 5 to 10 minutes. At first, set aside a time at leastonce a day to do this. When you learn how good it makes you feel,you'll want to do it at other times as well.

Just as one stressful situation goes into your next challenge,relaxing for a few minutes every day gradually carries over into therest of your daily life and activities.