Likely. Probably. I mean, it’s worth chatting about right? Your breath is LITERALLY how you oxygenate and provide life force to your entire body and being. And you know what? Most of us are doing it all wrong!

Emma Ferris, a physiotherapist and breathing coach with the Breath Effect, says 80 percent of the population has a breathing dysfunction and have developed poor techniques throughout the years. “And that can range from breathing through the mouth, breathing through the upper chest and neck muscles, having altered breathing rhythm and rate, or keeping the body in a stress state for long periods of time,” she explains. Ok so how does this happen, why does it matter and what can we do about it?

I can immediately tell if this is an issue for my clients because I can hear it in the way they speak, and see it show up in physical symptoms throughout the body. When there are symptom communicators like anxiety, adrenal fatigue, or any kind of fatigue or mitochondria sluggishness for that matter, there is an opportunity to improve the breath. I will see this also manifest as gut issues, headaches, respiratory, sleep apnea, speech delays, cognitive behavioral issues (the prior tewo i Just mentioned being more prevalent in children/pediatrics) and circulation issues. I don’t even initially address this first with my mind bdoy spirit release clients in particular right away because for many, it can feel overwhelming or just brand new to start breathing properly! I give some beginner tips with breathwork for those feeling overwhelmed in my free find your calm guide.

You take 25,000 breaths a day- so why is there a problem with how we breath? As babies born into the world we know how properly breath. Our breath is our way of regulating our nervous system and activating our parasympathetic nervous system, which keeps us calm, rested, and relaxed. I have found that often lip and tongue ties and stress is the fascia can cause there to be areas of restriction, even for infants. Of course, any trauma encountered by the body will accumulate and impact the quality of breath.

So how should be breath? Studies show that your nose helps to filter the air you breathe, thus being your immune system’s first line of defense in potentially helping you to take in less environmental contaminants. It also increases the humidity of the air, which makes it more optimal for the lungs. Even beyond those important functions, breathing through your nose triggers different hormones involved in everything from a woman’s menstrual cycle to your heart rate, anxiety level, and more. Pretty incredible right?!

Ok, so I am going to share with you my top 3 favorite breathing exercises. I love to share these with clients and expand beyond just the breath to include powerful somatic and visualization work. If you are brand new to these, slow and steady wins the race! Remember, you have been likely breathing the same way for a LONG time. We want to be gentle with the body with introducing anything new and consistency is key! Where you are going to start which each exercise is breathing in through the nose, down into the belly, and then release out through the mouth.

1. 4-7-8 Breathing: I love this breathing technique from internationally renowned doctor and integrative medicine pioneer, Dr. Andrew Weil, and it is how I initially got introduced to breathwork years ago! This method can be down anywhere, anytime. 478 breathing is a deep breathing exercise that can be done anywhere, anytime. Essentially, the technique follows this slow breathing pattern: Start by exhaling all of the air out of your lungs, through your mouth. Breathe in through the nose to the count of 4 seconds, then hold your breath to the count of 7 seconds, then breathe out to the count of 8 seconds (exhale completely).

   Aim to perform this in four cycles, twice per day. Practice breathing on a daily basis. As you progress, you can double this cycle to eight times in a row (instead of four).

2. Box Breathing: If you find yourself stressed and in need of calming down, I especially like to recommend Box breathing. It is commonly used by Navy Seals and in PTSD support. You need to breathe in through the nose for four seconds, hold for four seconds, breathe out of your mouth for four seconds, and then hold four seconds at the end. Repeat this for 4 to 6 cycles to start.

3. Alternate Nostril Breathing: this breathing technique has been around for thousands of years and is an OG when it comes to supporting the body! In Sanskrit (one of the oldest languages in the world), alternate nostril breathing is called Nadi Shodhan Pranayama, which translates to “subtle energy clearing breathing technique,” and it has many benefits, including calming the mind, reducing anxiety, and relaxing the body. To start, place the tip of the index finger and middle finger of the right hand on your forehead in between the eyebrows. Your ring finger and little finger will close the left nostril, and alternately the thumb will close the right nostril. 

   • Resting the tip of your right index finger and middle finger lightly between the eyebrows, take a deep breath in for four seconds

   • On the exhalation, close the right nostril with your thumb and breathe out through your left nostril for four seconds

   • Inhale slowly through the left nostril, then close the left nostril with your ring finger and breathe out completely through the right nostril

   • Breathe in through the right nostril and then close with the thumb, breathe out through the left nostril

   These steps constitute one round of alternate nostril breathing. Keep your breath even, slow and gentle. You want to perform five to nine rounds of this alternating breath between the nostrils. Always remember to inhale through the same nostril you just exhaled through, keep your breath slow, and finish your final round with an exhalation on the left side.

Which breathing exercise do you want to start with first? Let me know in the comments! And if you are needing more support, I recommend looking into craniosacral therapy and myofascial release to evaluate for areas of restriction in the head or body.