When it comes to stress reduction, people think of all sorts of things: hot baths, aromatherapy, exercise and time management. But there's one easy (and obvious) stress reducer that nearly everyone overlooks. We all take it for granted, but breathing right can make you feel better, help you think more clearly and reduce muscle tension. It also makes exercise easier on the body, providing more oxygen during your workout. Believe it or not, breathing the right way on a consistent basis is harder than it sounds!

The right kind of breathing will cause both your chest and your stomach to rise! During regular breathing, most people note just the chest rising. But think about it: your lungs extend nearly to the base of your ribcage, ending at your diaphragm. When the chest is the only thing that rises, it means you're only using a portion of your lung capacity!

If you pay attention to how you "normally" breathe, you'll notice that most breaths are shallow, with intermittent, deeper breaths. To get a feel for deeper breathing, place your hands on your chest and abdomen. As you breathe in, concentrate on causing your stomach to rise, filling your lungs as much as possible. Now, breathe the entire breath out and repeat. Try to breathe like this as often as possible, particularly when you're feeling anxious or tense.

It's a simple thing, but sometimes the best ideas are that easy. No gadgets, gizmos or cash required. Just breathe well and reap the benefits.

Stress is, well, stressful. The human body has several involuntary reactions to stress, which you may or may not notice when you're experiencing them. Your body releases adrenaline, which increases your heart rate, your muscles tighten, and your breath becomes shallower. If you regain control of your body's reaction to stress, you'll feel better and be better equipped to make good decisions. You can't instantly slow down your heart rate, or instantly relax all of your muscles, so where do you start? Taking control of the simplest aspect - your breathing - can make a big difference and bring the rest of your body's reactions into line.

Right now, practice taking a breath as you normally would. If you're like most people, the breath isn't very deep. Now, practice taking a deep breath. Blow a breath out completely, then breathe in slowly and deeply with the goal of expanding your upper stomach as you breathe. Then blow this breath out completely. This type of breath uses more of your lung capacity; normal, shallower breathing only uses a smaller portion of your lungs. During the rest of the day and beyond, practice being mindful of your breathing. When individuals practice yoga or meditation, "being mindful" means that you pay close attention to your breathing and body, and adjust your breath as needed to make it deeper and more relaxing. A deeper and more controlled breath will help to lower your heart rate and reduce muscle tension.

Watching your breath is the easiest thing you can do to reduce your stress and improve your health. If your breathing is shallow, your body thinks something is wrong, and your breathing can become shallow because you're stressed out. It's a vicious cycle that you can break by being mindful of your breath, and taking deeper, more efficient breaths when you notice your breathing becoming shallow. After a while, you'll breathe better without even trying. And when you're stressed out, a quick reminder to breathe more deeply will suffice. So if you're feeling stressed out, breathe more deeply and reap the benefits.