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The Healf Source
Why 'Fight Or Flight' And Mindful Breathing Might Be The Same?
Written by: Alexia Demetriades
Written on: July 1, 2025
We’ve all found ourselves in that place of tension or pain or perhaps just discomfort where we’ve silently chanted (sometimes out loud too) that it’s just mind over matter, mind over matter, mind over matter…
Those three, seemingly magic, words make everything feel possible—even when the odds are stacked against us. More than that, though, science will tell you that these aren’t just a mind game but that there is evidence-based truth to them too.
“Mind over matter” is the poetic way of reminding us that the mind wields a unique and fascinating influence over the body. Just look at placebos—they represent the possibility of physiological changes as a result of psychological expectations. Or, consider pain management techniques like mediation and hypnosis, which demonstrate the power of focused attention and positive self-talk on how the brain processes pain signals.
These are just a handful of examples that showcase how the mind can dictate the body. But what about wellbeing? When it comes to finding what true wellbeing looks like for us, is the mind overlooked as the key to vitality?
Over the years, many studies have explored the intimate relationship between our thoughts and our wellbeing. Some have proven the impact of positive thinking on cardiovascular health, while others have shed light on anxiety’s potential to lower our immune system, disrupt our gut, and even increase the risk of chronic conditions.
In a report posted by Stanford University a few years ago, Alla Crum, the director of the Stanford Mind and Body Lab, said “It’s essential to recognise that mindsets are not peripheral, but central to health and behavior…. If we truly want to tackle the diseases and crises of our time, we need to more effectively acknowledge and leverage the power of mindset… Our minds aren’t passive observers, simply perceiving reality as it is. Our minds actually change reality.”
Now, this isn’t to say that the physical efforts we put into our wellbeing don’t count—we still need to fuel our body with nutrient-dense foods, move it intentionally in ways that feel good, and allow it to rest by creating positive sleep habits—but it’s important to remember that non-tangible facets, like our thoughts, play an important role too.
So, if rewiring our thoughts can help to rewrite our body’s story, here are five ways to harness your mind to make wellbeing matter.
First-thing intentions
A 2022 study found that early-morning behaviours, practiced consistently over time, can develop into habits that improve your quality of life. It also found that the emotions you feel first-thing in the morning can influence your mood throughout the remainder of the day.
Dr. Daniel Amen, a world-renowned brain expert and founder of Brain MD, recommends a habit of intention-setting to begin each day—not just because it feels good, but because the brain is more suggestible as it transitions out of sleep. So, making intention-setting the first thing you do when you wake up can be a powerful way to shape the day ahead.
Start the day by clarifying how you want to prioritise your wellbeing, this could be something as simple as, “Today I want to nourish my body.” You might be surprised by how this simple habit could have a tangible impact.
Mindful breathing
One of the biggest offenders to our wellbeing is stress. And yet, it’s one of the most common experiences of modern living. From work to home-life to relationships and more, stress weasels its way into just about every area of our lives. However, thankfully, there are ways to combat it.
The mind may be susceptible to stress, but it can also act as a powerful weapon against it. Meditation and breathwork are two ways to harness this power, easing the nervous system into a parasympathetic state that allows you to rest and reset.
Next time your thoughts start racing, try the 4-7-8 breathwork technique (inhale for 4, hold for 7, exhale for 8), while focusing your mind on the rhythm of your breathing. Together, these can have an almost immediate effect on your heart rate variability and your respiratory rate, allowing your body to get back to the important functions that lead to overall wellbeing.
Fight, flight…or feel
We know all about ‘fight or flight’ mode, but what about feel? While the heart tends to be the go-to symbol for many emotions, our feelings are processed in the mind.
While allowing these feelings to run wild may seem counterintuitive to wellbeing, giving yourself permission to lean into your emotions can significantly improve your wellbeing. Instead of suppressing how you feel, embrace it.
By creating space to feel the full spectrum of your emotions in private, overtime, this practice can lead to better emotional balance, stability, and mood regulation.
So, next time you feel overwhelmed by emotions, don’t just jump to fighting or flying, try feeling.
Gratitude
The Anxiety & Depression Association of America named gratitude as a “game-changer” in the pursuit of full-body health. And they were right. Study after study has proven that practicing gratitude is one of the most effective ways to use the power of the mind to impact the body.
On a purely biological level, gratitude can:
Rewire and strengthen neurological pathways,
Influence the release of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine,
Activate the parasympathetic nervous system,
And trigger specific areas of the brain associated with positive emotions, reward, and emotional regulation.
Taking 5-10 minutes a day to list out what you are thankful for is perhaps one of the easiest ways to, quite literally, change your biology and invest in your wellbeing. It may feel silly at first, but by making the practice of gratitude a regular habit, you can significantly improve your sleep, heart health, stress management, mental health, energy, focus, mood, and so much more.
And that’s something to be thankful for.
PMA
Last but not least, a positive mental attitude (or PMA as it’s been dubbed) can change the way your body functions.
A PMA doesn’t just improve your mental resilience, it can strengthen your immune system, improve your digestion, and even increase your lifespan. It may sound too good to be true, but our mental attitude shapes how we approach fundamental aspects of wellbeing: what food our body craves, our motivation to move, how well we sleep—all of this is influenced by the state of our mind.
Now, this doesn’t diminish trying circumstances or invalidate negative feelings, but it does serve as a powerful reminder that there is a constant interplay between the mind and the body.
If we live our lives treating them as separate entities, we might find ourselves missing out on the benefits they offer as a united force.
So, perhaps wellbeing isn’t mind over matter, but mind and matter—two equally important facets of one beautifully complex whole.
This article is for informational purposes only, even if and regardless of whether it features the advice of physicians and medical practitioners. This article is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice. The views expressed in this article are the views of the expert and do not necessarily represent the views of Healf
This article is for informational purposes only, even if and regardless of whether it features the advice of physicians and medical practitioners. This article is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice. The views expressed in this article are the views of the expert and do not necessarily represent the views of Healf
