Martin McPhilimey MSc MRes - Scientific Consultant

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Yokine, WA
Martin McPhilimey MSc MRes - Scientific Consultant

🧠 Mind & Body: Regulation & Resilience
🫁 Breath, Nervous System & Sleep
🎓 Founder www.schoolofbreathscience.com
👇 Send a DM to work with me Day after day.

Chronic stress is a global health crisis affecting individual and collective performance. With coaching, you can turn stress into success for high performance with the enthusiasm, motivation and energy to take action towards your goals. Imagine the level of performance you could reach by waking up each morning feeling calm, alert and ready to tackle your day. Reclaim confidence in your capacity fo

r action by learning the methods helping stressed-out busy professionals, anxious leaders and burnt out go-getters stand out from the crowd by regaining control of their focus, energy and productivity.

25/07/2025

Many individuals I mentor are starting or embarking on a new coaching journey. I’ve noticed that those who have received business or sales coaching are often advised to charge high fees from the start. However, this can hinder their ability to attract initial clients, which is crucial for building confidence in their skills and delivering results. A lack of confidence can undermine performance during discovery calls.

In the coaching industry, the initial call is a critical opportunity to qualify clients and establish authority. Without confidence, this becomes challenging. Our certification includes a dedicated module on a strategy I’ve used to increase discovery call conversion rates from 20% to 60–70%.

The first hurdle new coaches face once qualified is a lack of confidence. Even with extensive knowledge, skills, and certifications, inexperience can create a mental block. The only way to overcome this is by working with clients. I started by offering free services, then gradually charged what I considered reasonable. In hindsight, my initial rates were too low. I don’t advise my clients to start as low as I did, but rather to charge an amount they’re comfortable with, increasing it by 10% over time.

For every three video testimonials they receive, I recommend raising rates by 10–20% until they achieve a 50% signup rate and a 50% decline rate. This balance indicates they’re in the right pricing range. Additionally, pre-qualifying leads helps attract higher-quality clients, enhancing opportunities for success.

Picture your coaching journey as a hurdle race. Your finish line is clear: becoming a confident, competent coach with a thriving business. Hurdles stand in your way, but each one you clear builds your skills and confidence, bringing you closer to your goal.

Your first hurdle may be confidence and competence; I’m here to help you overcome them. Enrol in our Breath Science certification today to take the first step toward a thriving coaching career.

Message me ‘BSC’ to receive all the details and start your journey!

20/07/2025

Recently, I’ve been exploring a question in the community: Could excessive cold exposure dull our ability to feel sensations?

While research on cold exposure and brain function is limited, some evidence suggests that self-regulation techniques, such as controlled breathing during exposure; can enhance top-down regulation from the frontal and motor cortices to the insula. This may strengthen connections between the brain’s frontal networks and emotional salience regions, improving our ability to process sensations and emotions.

However, could there be a downside? Over-suppressing the insula through excessive cold exposure might lead to emotional numbing or disconnection.

This could manifest as risky, thrill-seeking behaviours to feel “alive.” Does this sound like anyone familiar?

I’d love to hear your experiences if you practice chronic cold exposure. Have you noticed changes in your emotional or sensory awareness?

Let me know below.

15/07/2025

Hello everyone, Martin here, sharing a story about where life has taken me recently. You may have noticed some changes to my profile, and I’m thrilled to dive into what’s been unfolding.

A few years ago, I began receiving requests to mentor others in the deeper science of breathwork. This spark inspired me to create the Breath Science Certification, which, to my surprise, has grown tremendously. The overwhelming feedback revealed a genuine hunger for understanding the evidence behind breath science and wellness practices. This led to the founding of the School of Breath Science My mission is to raise standards, blending rigorous science with creative, innovative approaches to how we think about breathing and well-being.

Exciting developments are on the horizon! In the coming months, I’ll be launching a new website that’s more than just a platform—it’s a vibrant ecosystem of learning and connection. Expect public breathwork sessions, relaxation practices, reflective moments, certification courses, practitioner community workshops, masterminds, a journal club, and a safe space to hone competency skills alongside high-level practitioners from around the globe. These offerings are all tied to my goal of helping people live healthier, more connected, and meaningful lives.

I also want to address a shift in my personal brand. I’ve moved away from the term “Performance Through Health,” as it doesn’t fully capture my work. Instead, I’m dedicated to guiding individuals to become more authentic and exemplary versions of themselves. While I’ve stepped back from running a business under that name, its principles continue to inform my private consultancy. As a practitioner, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards, helping people build resilience and live in alignment with their truest selves. If “performance” resonates with you, that’s your choice, but my focus is on understanding who my clients wish to be, their goals, and their needs without imposing labels or boundaries.

I’m immensely grateful for your support and can’t wait to see where this next chapter leads us. Here’s to growth, health, and a whole lot of breath!

03/07/2025

Chronic overbreathing, or hyperventilation, is often misunderstood as a consequence of mouth breathing. However, scientific evidence reveals a deeper story: excessive respiratory drive, fueled by allostatic load—the cumulative burden of lifestyle stressors—is the primary driver of breathing dysfunctions, not the route of breathing.

Allostatic load arises from modern lifestyle factors: chronic stress, poor diet, inadequate sleep, sedentary habits, and environmental exposures. These disrupt the autonomic nervous system, increasing sympathetic activity and altering CO2 sensitivity, which perpetuates overbreathing. Research on hypocapnia and stress-related disorders supports this, showing how elevated cortisol and catecholamine levels heighten respiratory rate and disrupt chemoreceptor balance, leading to inefficient breathing patterns.

Mouth breathing, often scapegoated, is more a symptom than a cause. While it may exacerbate issues—reducing nitric oxide uptake critical for vascular health and altering airway dynamics—it’s not the root. Nasal breathing, by contrast, offers benefits: improved filtration, humidification, and CO2-O2 balance, plus vagal stimulation to calm the nervous system. Yet, it’s a supportive tool, not a cure. Without addressing lifestyle-driven stressors, nasal breathing alone cannot resolve overbreathing.

The true culprits are lifestyle-related: poor posture, lack of exercise, and dietary imbalances that dysregulate metabolic and nervous system function. Effective solutions lie in stress management, physical activity, and sleep hygiene, which target the underlying allostatic load. In rare cases, structural issues like nasal obstructions or conditions such as asthma may necessitate mouth breathing, but these are exceptions.

My aim is to empower coaches with the Breath Science Certification (BSC), the only evidence-based, integrative program addressing root causes of health and lifestyle issues such as breathing dysfunction. Join us to transform lives through science-driven breathwork. DM “BSC”

01/07/2025

A Reflection on Imago Dei and the Gift of Love

Every human possesses a unique gift, a divine spark they are called to share with the world in service to others. As we mature into adulthood, whether male or female, it becomes our responsibility to uncover these gifts and offer them freely, unburdened by fear, shame, or guilt.

This belief, rooted in the Christian theological concept of Imago Dei—the idea that humanity is created in the image of God—has been a guiding light through my darkest times. It has shaped my mindset and contributed to the success and fulfilment I’ve experienced in recent years.

During my first psychedelic experience, I felt a profound spiritual connection to Jesus Christ. In that moment, I received a powerful message: every person has the capacity for boundless love, but it begins with giving love freely. This revelation led me to explore the biblical text, particularly Genesis 1:27, which states:

“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”

I don’t view this as a literal truth but as a deeply subjective experience that awakened me to my potential. It revealed my capacity to create, to love, and to live a moral and rational life, reflecting the divine qualities of God.

This belief has become my anchor. It’s not about objective certainty but embracing a perspective that empowers me. It has guided me to a career I love, a life I cherish, a wife I adore, and a daughter who brings me endless joy. Most importantly, it has taught me to love myself.

By adhering to the idea that we are all created in God's image, I’ve learned that love is both our gift and our responsibility. This belief continues to shape my life and inspire me to share my gifts with the world.

20/05/2025

The Breath Science certification is designed for those who take coaching seriously and want to go deeper with breath. Science-backed content with real world application.

Comment ‘interested’ below to find out when the next cohort starts.

18/05/2025

Flexible format. Science-backed content. Practical outcomes. This is breathwork done right.

Comment ‘group’ below to find out when our next cohort starts.

13/05/2025

A 2025 study by Leupin and Britz shows that nasal breathing enhances early brain signals tied to visual awareness, unlike oral breathing, which shifts signals to later stages and relies on heart rhythms. This suggests nasal breathing boosts sensory processing via olfactory bulb stimulation, acting as a brain “tuning fork.”

Breath science practitioners can apply this to:

Boost Focus: Teach nasal breathing (e.g., diaphragmatic or alternate nostril) to enhance attention in meditation or high-performance tasks. Retrain mouth breathers to nasal breathing for better clarity.

Regulate Emotions: Use slow nasal inhalation to calm anxiety, leveraging low baroreceptor activity to stabilize heart rate and enhance awareness.

Support Special Populations: Apply nasal breathing for ADHD or sensory processing issues to improve focus, or for elderly clients to support brain-body integration.

Educate Clients: Explain how nasal breathing syncs brain rhythms, using the study to motivate consistent practice.

Integrate Modalities: Combine nasal breathing with neurofeedback or mindfulness to amplify sensory awareness.

Advocate Research: Push for studies on nasal breathing’s real-world cognitive benefits, elevating breathwork’s credibility.

11/05/2025

Are you ready to become a confident, science-based breath professional?

Enrollment is now open for our next Breath Science Certification, kicking off August 14/15th.

This is not another “Breathwork” course. #

You’ll learn to apply evidence-based protocols grounded in physiology, psychology, and performance to help others transform their health, stress, and resilience.

Early bird pricing ends in June.

If you’ve been waiting for the right training to deepen your skills and raise your authority — this is it.

Comment “GROUP” below and I’ll send you the details.

07/05/2025

“🚴‍♂️💨 Sports training masks are a hot trend for breath coaches chasing better CO₂ tolerance, stronger respiratory muscles, and that high-altitude edge in their athletes. But do they really deliver on the hype, or are they just a flashy gimmick?

🤔 How do they stack up against the proven power of inspiratory muscle training (IMT)?

Dive into the science with us and share your thoughts—have you tried masks or IMT? What worked for you?
🗣️

SportsScience

06/05/2025

🔥 Diving into all things Nervous System! 🧠✨

Dive into 10 mind-blowing facts about the nervous system that will change how you view your health! From game-changing habits to science-backed practices, these insights will help you supercharge your wellness journey. 💪

Want to take it to the next level? Join my Breath Science Certification! 🌬️ With two full modules dedicated to nervous system regulation (plus more to support your body and mind), you’ll gain the tools to transform your life or empower your clients. 🚀

💡 Swipe through, save this post, and share it with someone who needs a health boost! Let’s spread the science!

23/04/2025

🌙 Did you know late, intense workouts could steal your sleep? A study of 14,689 adults using WHOOP trackers found that high-effort exercise within 4 hours of bedtime delays sleep by up to 80 minutes, cuts sleep by 43 minutes, and spikes heart rate by 9 beats/min. 😴 Opt for lighter workouts if exercising late to protect your rest and recovery. Finish workouts 4+ hours before bed for deeper sleep and a calmer heart. 💪 Athletes, take note—late competitions might harm your recovery! Share this science with your gym crew to help everyone sleep smarter! 🛌

Share with a workout buddy who needs to time their exercise better for epic sleep! 🚀

Leota, J., Presby, D.M., Le, F. et al. Dose-response relationship between evening exercise and sleep. Nat Commun 16, 3297 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58271-x

Address

Yokine, WA

Website

http://www.performancethroughhealth.com/

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