BBR #195: Master your breath to unlock the key to stress and wellness

In this episode, I dive deep into one of the most powerful tools we have at our disposal: breathwork. 

It's been a while since we've discussed the tools we use, and I want to revisit the one that I consider my anchor, both personally and in my work with clients. 

Breathwork is the most direct line of communication we have with our autonomic nervous system, and it's one of the most effective neurohacks available for managing stress, improving concentration, and enhancing overall health—and it's completely free.

Key Takeaways:

• The Power of Breath: How controlling your breath can help balance your internal state, activate your vagus nerve, and signal your body to shift into rest-and-digest mode.
• Internal Solutions: Breathing techniques allow us to turn inward for solutions, using our natural resources rather than relying on external means like medications or numbing behaviors.
• Training Your Nervous System: By focusing on the breath and diaphragm movements, you can influence your autonomic nervous system, helping it respond better to stress.
• Sympathetic vs. Parasympathetic: Understanding the balance between the fight-or-flight response and the rest-and-digest system, and how engaging the parasympathetic pathway can calm your mind and body.
• Breathing Patterns as Communication: How your breathing patterns, mood, and mobility communicate the safety your body feels, especially first thing in the morning.
• Education on Breath: Despite its importance, breath is often overlooked due to a lack of education. Yet, it’s fundamental to managing stress and taking conscious control over our state of being.
• Historical Context: Controlled breathing techniques, such as Pranayama in yoga, have been used for centuries to influence health and well-being.
• Breathing and Emotions: How the cycle of stress and breathing can trap us in a loop, and how proper techniques can break that cycle.
• Immediate and Long-Term Benefits: Breathwork isn't just for immediate relief; it’s also beneficial for chronic issues like depression, anxiety, and PTSD, and helps rewire the brain’s stress response.
• Breathing Facts: Over-breathing can decrease brain blood flow by 40%, affecting areas responsible for memory, self-awareness, and time perception.
• Dysfunctional Breathing: Recognizing the signs of stressed breathing and understanding how it impacts cognitive function and stress levels.

Actionable Steps:

1. Start paying attention to your breath throughout the day. Notice when you hold your breath, breathe fast and shallow, or sigh and yawn frequently.
2. Focus on breathing through your nose instead of your mouth.
3. Practice intentional breathing exercises to help regulate your nervous system and manage stress more effectively.

Join me in exploring how something as simple as breathing can transform your life and empower you to take control of your