Final answer:
Pausing to take deep breaths before reacting engages the prefrontal cortex, which aids in decision-making and self-control, and activates the parasympathetic nervous system to reduce stress, allowing for a more thought-out response.
Step-by-step explanation:
When you pause to take some deep breaths before reacting, you are allowing the prefrontal cortex of your brain to respond. This part of the brain is responsible for higher-level cognitive functions such as decision-making and self-control. It helps to regulate the stress response managed by the autonomic nervous system, which includes the sympathetic nervous system associated with the 'fight-or-flight' response. Taking deep breaths can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes a state of calmness and counters the stress response, thus giving the prefrontal cortex time to process the situation and to respond in a more reasoned and less impulsive way.
The action of taking deep breaths involves the active contraction of muscles to expand the chest, allowing more air to be drawn into the lungs. This process is controlled by the brain stem, specifically the medulla oblongata, which regulates the breathing rate by monitoring the carbon dioxide levels in the blood. These areas of the brain work in concert, with the brain stem regulating the physical act of breathing and the frontal regions modulating emotional and thoughtful responses.