P2 Resilience
From alarm to calm

Watch what happens in your brain and body when the amygdala fires, and how box breathing brings you back by activating the vagus nerve.

Side view of a person showing the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, vagus nerve, heart, lungs, gut and adrenal glands Prefrontal cortex Amygdala Hypothalamus Vagus nerve Heart Lungs Adrenal glands Gut
Calm
All clear

Heart rate is steady. The prefrontal cortex, your thinking brain, is running the show.

Heart rate68 bpm
BreathingSlow and easy
Body stateCalm
Nervous system balance
Fight or flightRest and digest
Box breathing In for 4, hold for 4, out for 4, hold for 4. Starts after the alarm.
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Simplified illustration for teaching. Brain regions and nerve paths are not drawn to scale. The vagus nerve carries signals in both directions: it helps slow the heart, and it reports to the brain on how the body is doing.