20/01/2026
Stress doesn’t just live in the mind; it shows up in the breath.
Most of us breathe, but very few of us really breathe.
When I was training as a musician, breathing was fundamental - not just to sustain long phrases, but to turn notes into music. I’ve since learned that breathing is so much more than lung capacity or oxygen exchange.
It’s one of the few systems that directly links the physical body, the nervous system, and our energetic system.
Slower, conscious breathing improves oxygen delivery, reduces muscle tension, supports digestion, and helps the body shift out of “survival mode”. The body softens. The shoulders drop. The jaw unclenches.
From a nervous system perspective, the breath is a direct line to safety.
Longer, gentler exhales signal to the vagus nerve that the threat has passed. Heart rate steadies. The mind becomes clearer. We can move from reacting to responding.
Energetically, breath is life force in motion. You know, the prana that I’ve mentioned before. When breathing is shallow or held, prana or energy stagnates. When the breath flows, energy flows. People often describe feeling lighter, clearer, more present. More alive, without being wired.
You don’t need to “do it perfectly”.
You don’t need long sessions or complicated techniques.
Sometimes the most powerful shift comes from simply noticing:
• Where am I holding my breath?
• What changes if I slow it down?
• What happens when I give myself permission to fully inhale… and fully exhale?
And when you breathe a bit more consciously and deliberately, everything else begins to follow.
Why don’t you sit and take just a couple of minutes to breathe? And by counting slowly as you breathe in and again as you gently breathe out it really helps quieten the mind. I promise, trust me!
