Harnessing the power of the breath

Techniques to bring the breath into your day

Breathe better, feel better: simple breathwork to ease stress and boost focus

A deep breath in. A slow breath out.
Sometimes, that’s all it takes to create a noticeable shift in how you feel — calmer, clearer, more grounded.

Breathing is the only system in the body that’s both automatic and under our control. That’s what makes it so powerful: with a little awareness, your breath becomes a tool you can use anytime to regulate stress, reset your focus, and feel more at ease.

- Why Breath Matters

When you’re stressed, your body shifts into fight or flight mode. Your heart rate increases, muscles tense, and your breathing becomes shallow. This response is designed for short bursts of danger — but in modern life, it can stay switched on all day.

This chronic stress response affects:

• Sleep

• Digestion

• Concentration

• Relationships

• Immunity

• Long-term health

The good news? You can reverse this state in minutes.
Deep breathing signals safety to the brain, switching the body into rest and digest mode — the parasympathetic nervous system.

🌬️ Benefits of Deep Breathing

• Reduces anxiety and cortisol levels

• Slows the heart rate and lowers blood pressure

• Improves focus, creativity, and emotional regulation

• Supports digestion and immune function

• Encourages deeper sleep and less fatigue

Even one minute of intentional breathing can make a noticeable difference. The more regularly you practise, the greater the benefits.

🌟 3 Simple Breathing Techniques to Try

You don’t need any special equipment or setting — just your breath and a few quiet minutes.

1. Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana)

A centring technique to balance the nervous system and calm anxiety

Perfect before a presentation, difficult conversation, or at the end of a long workday.

How to do it:

• Sit comfortably and use your thumb to close your right nostril

• Inhale through the left nostril

• Close the left nostril with your ring finger, release the thumb, and exhale through the right

• Inhale through the right, close it, and exhale through the left

• Continue for 1–3 minutes

🎥 Click here to watch the video

2. Belly Breathing (Diaphragmatic Breathing)

A grounding technique to relax your body and mind

How to do it:

• Sit or lie down comfortably

• Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly

• Inhale slowly through the nose, feeling the belly rise

• Exhale gently through pursed lips, letting the belly fall

• Keep the chest still and breathe deeply into the belly

Try this for a few minutes, up to 4 times a day.

🎥 Watch the Belly Breathing tutorial here

3. Breath in for 4, Out for 6

A quick and easy way to calm the nervous system

How to do it:

• Inhale through the nose for 4 counts

• Exhale through the nose for 6 counts

• Keep the breath smooth and even

• Repeat for 2–5 minutes

You can change the count to suit your comfort level — the key is that your exhale is longer than your inhale.

🎥 Watch the video for this technique here

🧘‍♀️ Start Small, Breathe Often

Breathwork doesn’t need to take long. Even one minute a day is a great start. Try building it into moments that already exist in your day:

• Before you open your laptop

• While waiting for your tea to brew

• Between back-to-back meetings

• During your evening wind-down

Over time, you’ll build a toolkit of breathing techniques that support you through both the calm and the chaos of daily life.

🌿 Final Thought

Breath is always available to you — it’s free, immediate, and incredibly effective. With regular practice, these simple techniques can transform how you respond to stress, interact with others, and show up in your work and life.

Take a breath. Feel the difference.