Why Your Breath Could Be Your Most Valuable Health Tool
Most people think of breathing as automatic. It just happens. We rarely think about it unless we’re struggling to breathe after a hard workout or trying to blow out birthday candles. But the crazy thing is, breathing isn’t just a background process. It’s a powerful tool for improving physical and mental health and unlike many health hacks, it’s free, always available, and doesn’t require an app subscription!
Now that I’m certified as a breath coach, I’m on a mission to help people understand how something as simple as breath can change the way you feel, move, and live.
What Does the Respiratory System Do?
Our respiratory system brings oxygen in, moves carbon dioxide out, and fuels every cell in our body! Gas exchange is this system’s primary function; however, breathing has a very close and special relationship with the nervous system, especially the autonomic nervous system, which controls things like your heart rate, digestion, and stress response. This connection is exactly where things get interesting.
Breath and the Nervous System
Your breath is unique because it’s both automatic and controllable. You can’t just slow down your heart rate by thinking about it, but you can slow your breath. And when you do, your body responds.
Think of it like this:
Fast, shallow breathing (often from the chest) keeps your body in a sympathetic “fight or flight” state. You might feel anxious, tense, or reactive.
Slow, deep breathing (from the diaphragm) activates the parasympathetic “rest and digest” state, helping you feel calm, focused, and in control.
Why Do We Need Breath Coaching?
Good question. After all, we’ve all been breathing since birth, right?
Here’s the thing… most adults don’t breathe efficiently. Due to posture, stress, and lifestyle habits, many people default to chest breathing, over-breathing, or even mouth breathing, which can disrupt oxygen exchange and keep us in a low-grade state of stress.
Breath coaching helps you retrain your breathing patterns using evidence-based techniques, like physical therapy for your lungs and nervous system.
The Benefits of Better Breathing
Here’s what the science tells us:
Mental Health
Slower breathing reduces anxiety and improves emotional regulation
Breathing practices increase focus and cognitive performance
Sleep & Recovery
Techniques like box breathing that really reduce the rate of breath can support better sleep and help reduce insomnia
Performance & Fitness
Breath control improves endurance, supports recovery, and can even help reduce lactic acid build-up
Athletes can learn to manage fatigue and focus better under pressure
Heart & Blood Pressure
Diaphragmatic breathing helps reduce blood pressure and improve heart rate variability, a key marker of resilience
Immune & Respiratory Health
Nasal breathing filters air, humidifies it, and supports immune defence
Breathwork can support people with asthma, COPD, and long COVID by improving lung efficiency
Small Change, Big Impact
Breathwork doesn’t need to be complicated. Just a few minutes a day can make a real difference. Your breath is more than just oxygen in, carbon dioxide out. It’s a direct line to your brain, body, and mood. Whether you’re managing stress, improving your fitness, or just trying to sleep better, how you breathe matters.
As a qualified breath coach, I can help you assess your breathing habits and give you simple tools to improve your health, energy, and resilience, one breath at a time.
Want to experience it for yourself? Let’s breathe together in a free Discovery Session, get in touch to set up a time. It will be a transformative 20 minutes!
Tuesday 24th June, 2025