
Breathing is super important, but we often don’t realize it. It’s peculiar because breathing keeps us alive, stating that it is the most underappreciated biological phenomenon and the source of existence for all life.
When we think about staying healthy, we forget that breathing is free and something we do naturally.
It’s one of your body’s essential functions that just happens without you having to do anything. And it’s a good thing, too, considering that the average person takes around 22,000 breaths daily.
You might have heard that breathwork can help with stress, anxiety, and overall wellness, but it’s still not widely known despite its many scientifically proven benefits.
If you can make breathwork a regular part of your routine, you’ll feel better daily and make a big investment in your long-term health. Research from the Framingham study, which has been going on for over 50 years, has shown that improving your oxygen intake and lung capacity can lower your risk of dying early—it’s one of the best indicators of how long you might live. It directly affects your nervous system, which controls things like memory, learning, waking up, and how well you move.
Your breath is in charge of your autonomic nervous system, which handles internal activities like circulation, blood flow, heart rate, how well you absorb oxygen, your immune system, hormones, and even your mental state.
You might have heard that breathwork can help with stress, anxiety, and overall wellness, but it’s still not widely known despite its many scientifically proven benefits.
If you can make breathwork a regular part of your routine, you’ll feel better daily and make a big investment in your long-term health. Research from the Framingham study, which has been going on for over 50 years, has shown that improving your oxygen intake and lung capacity can lower your risk of dying early—it’s one of the best indicators of how long you might live. It directly affects your nervous system, which controls things like memory, learning, waking up, and how well you move.
Your breath is in charge of your autonomic nervous system, which handles internal activities like circulation, blood flow, heart rate, how well you absorb oxygen, your immune system, hormones, and even your mental state.
Well, to sum it up nicely: “If I had to offer only one tip for healthy living, it would be to master the breathing technique.”
Responses to fights or flights in the contemporary era.
About 80 percent of the signals sent to your brain originate from your body, indicating that your body might have control over your brain.
This means that the depth, volume, and pace of your breath can influence how your brain instructs you to feel and respond, thereby impacting your emotions and neurological functions.
But how does this process work? Think about how your breath shapes your perception of the world, closely tied to your thoughts, feelings, and emotions. When stressed, your sympathetic nervous system, also known as the fight-or-flight response, kicks in. It prepares your body for danger, tenses up entirely, and breathing becomes shallow and rapid.
When your parasympathetic nervous system is activated, your breath slows down, becomes deeper, and more even. Your neurological system allows you to experience joy and form deeper connections.
About 80 percent of the signals sent to your brain originate from your body, indicating that your body might have control over your brain.
This means that the depth, volume, and pace of your breath can influence how your brain instructs you to feel and respond, thereby impacting your emotions and neurological functions.
But how does this process work? Think about how your breath shapes your perception of the world, closely tied to your thoughts, feelings, and emotions. When stressed, your sympathetic nervous system, also known as the fight-or-flight response, kicks in. It prepares your body for danger, tenses up entirely, and breathing becomes shallow and rapid.
When your parasympathetic nervous system is activated, your breath slows down, becomes deeper, and more even. Your neurological system allows you to experience joy and form deeper connections.

When you feel strong emotions, your body can get stuck in a loop where what you think feeds back into how your body reacts.
But real life-threatening situations are pretty rare nowadays. In today’s world, where we’re always connected, even a message on WhatsApp or a post on Instagram can suddenly make you feel like you’re in danger. It is more prominent when you live like me in a buzzing suburb like Santacruz, Mumbai.
Sadly, you might start your day with these kinds of stress triggers and keep facing them all day long, which makes it hard to feel happy or important.
If you’re constantly stressed or have some deep-seated issues that haven’t been dealt with, you might stay stuck in this stressed-out mode. Being in this high-stress state is linked to being overweight, heart problems, feeling low, and other health issues.
Your body and mind must know it’s okay to stop this stress overload.
That’s when they can switch into a mode where your body can heal and recharge. Doing conscious breathing is the quickest way to break this cycle of intense emotions and teach your brain to calm down. By purposely changing how you breathe, you can make your body react how you want it to, which can help improve your mood and mental health.
If you notice you’re feeling stressed out, take a moment to acknowledge it without being hard on yourself. Try slowing down your breathing and using your diaphragm fully. This sends new signals to your brain, letting it know that you and your surroundings are actually safe.
Taking slow, even breaths with a longer exhale, like breathing in for four counts and out for eight, can lower your heart rate and help your body relax.
Three Types of Breathwork for Better Health and Mood: Up, Down, and Explore
All kinds of breathwork come down to three main ways. I call them Up, Down, and Explore.
Sympathetic Reaction (Fight-Or-Flight State)
When stressed, your heart beats faster, you focus more, and your brain releases a chemical called norepinephrine to help you pay attention. This gets you ready to take action. Double breathing is an example of this type of breathing, where you take quick, short breaths to activate your fight-or-flight response.
I start my “up” breathwork routine by doing 7-10 minutes. Do this first thing in the morning, maybe while you’re having your coffee. It’ll wake you up and prepare you for the day ahead, reviving your body’s engine.
But real life-threatening situations are pretty rare nowadays. In today’s world, where we’re always connected, even a message on WhatsApp or a post on Instagram can suddenly make you feel like you’re in danger. It is more prominent when you live like me in a buzzing suburb like Santacruz, Mumbai.
Sadly, you might start your day with these kinds of stress triggers and keep facing them all day long, which makes it hard to feel happy or important.
If you’re constantly stressed or have some deep-seated issues that haven’t been dealt with, you might stay stuck in this stressed-out mode. Being in this high-stress state is linked to being overweight, heart problems, feeling low, and other health issues.
Your body and mind must know it’s okay to stop this stress overload.
That’s when they can switch into a mode where your body can heal and recharge. Doing conscious breathing is the quickest way to break this cycle of intense emotions and teach your brain to calm down. By purposely changing how you breathe, you can make your body react how you want it to, which can help improve your mood and mental health.
If you notice you’re feeling stressed out, take a moment to acknowledge it without being hard on yourself. Try slowing down your breathing and using your diaphragm fully. This sends new signals to your brain, letting it know that you and your surroundings are actually safe.
Taking slow, even breaths with a longer exhale, like breathing in for four counts and out for eight, can lower your heart rate and help your body relax.
Three Types of Breathwork for Better Health and Mood: Up, Down, and Explore
All kinds of breathwork come down to three main ways. I call them Up, Down, and Explore.
Sympathetic Reaction (Fight-Or-Flight State)
When stressed, your heart beats faster, you focus more, and your brain releases a chemical called norepinephrine to help you pay attention. This gets you ready to take action. Double breathing is an example of this type of breathing, where you take quick, short breaths to activate your fight-or-flight response.
I start my “up” breathwork routine by doing 7-10 minutes. Do this first thing in the morning, maybe while you’re having your coffee. It’ll wake you up and prepare you for the day ahead, reviving your body’s engine.

Ways to Relax Before Bed
- When you’re stressed and trying to sleep, it’s important to remember that you don’t have to feel stuck.
- If you’re anxious, don’t force yourself to sleep. Instead, focus on calming down before bedtime.
- For people who have had trouble sleeping for a long time, training your brain to sleep better might take time and effort.