Top performers like jiu-jitsu champion Marcelo Garcia avoid staying in a state of moderate, constant stress (a 'simmering six' out of ten). Instead, they master dropping to zero (deep rest) and exploding to ten (full engagement) only when needed, conserving energy and preventing burnout.

Research found that diverse prayers, like Buddhist mantras and the Catholic Rosary, all guide practitioners into a breathing rate of ~5.5 breaths per minute. This "coherent breathing" state maximizes heart rate variability and blood pressure regulation, suggesting an ancient, embedded wisdom for physiological balance.

To maintain performance over the long term, Canva's CEO deliberately creates strict boundaries between work and life. By removing email from her phone, she can be "all in" when working at her laptop and "all out" when she's not, allowing for true mental separation and recovery.

A simple way to regulate your nervous system is to listen to birdsong. From an evolutionary perspective, birds only sing when there are no predators nearby. Hearing them subconsciously signals to our brains that we are safe, which in turn lowers cortisol levels, blood pressure, and breathing rate.

Many people jump into complex breathwork classes while ignoring their foundational breathing, which is often dysfunctional (e.g., mouth breathing). Mastering normal, efficient nasal breathing provides more significant and sustainable health benefits than occasional, intense breathwork sessions.

True rest requires a mental break, not just a physical one. Use a technique called "noting" to detach from stress-inducing thought loops. When you catch your mind spiraling—even while physically resting—simply label the activity: "worrying," "planning," or "comparing." This act of observation creates distance, helping you step away from the story and return to the present moment.

Instead of bottling up or immediately reacting to anger (e.g., before sending a terse email), channel the emotion physically. A brief, intense activity like lifting a dumbbell for 60 seconds helps process the frustration constructively, preventing it from escalating into a destructive response.

When your mind starts its negative chatter, don't get lost debating the content. Instead, use the chatter itself as a physiological alarm bell. It's a signal that you've likely stopped breathing deeply and disconnected from your body. Use it as a reminder to reconnect physically, not engage mentally.

Contrary to popular belief, many elite athletes have suboptimal breathing mechanics, relying on shallow chest breathing instead of their diaphragm. This wastes energy and raises their heart rate. Retraining their breath is a key, often overlooked, way to unlock significant performance gains.