How Breath Affects Your Health and How to Use It
You breathe over 20,000 times per day but how often do you notice it? The way you breathe impacts everything from your mood and energy to digestion, sleep, hormone balance and nervous system regulation. Shallow, rapid breathing can keep your body in a state of low-level stress. In contrast, slow, intentional breathing helps your system return to calm.
At BotaniQ Medical Clinic, we view the breath as one of the simplest and most powerful tools for everyday health. It is free, always available and profoundly effective at improving physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.
Why Breath Matters
Breathing is the bridge between the conscious and unconscious systems of the body. Unlike digestion or heartbeat, it is one of the few autonomic functions you can influence voluntarily. When used intentionally, breath can
Lower blood pressure and heart rate
Improve oxygen delivery to cells
Reduce cortisol and stress reactivity
Support sleep and relaxation
Improve focus and emotional regulation
Aid digestion and detoxification
Reduce pain and inflammation
Poor breathing patterns such as holding the breath, chest breathing or breathing through the mouth can contribute to anxiety, fatigue, poor sleep and digestive issues.
Common Signs of Dysfunctional Breathing
Frequent sighing or breath-holding
Shallow breathing in the upper chest
Tension in the shoulders or jaw
Feeling breathless during minimal activity
Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
Low-level anxiety or restlessness
Becoming aware of how you breathe is the first step to changing how you feel.
Foundational Breath Awareness Practice
1. Posture Check
Sit or stand upright with your spine neutral. Relax your shoulders and jaw.
2. Breath Check-In
Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly.
Inhale through the nose
Notice which hand rises
Exhale slowly through the nose or mouth
Aim for the belly to expand, not the chest
This encourages diaphragmatic breathing a pattern that activates the parasympathetic nervous system.
Simple Breathing Techniques to Try
1. Box Breathing (for calm and focus)
Inhale for four counts
Hold for four counts
Exhale for four counts
Hold for four counts
Repeat for 2 to 5 minutes
Use this method during work breaks, before meetings or in moments of overwhelm.
2. 4-7-8 Breathing (for sleep and relaxation)
Inhale through the nose for four counts
Hold for seven counts
Exhale slowly through the mouth for eight counts
Repeat for 4 rounds
Ideal before bedtime or during periods of anxiety.
3. Alternate Nostril Breathing (for mental clarity)
Close your right nostril with your thumb and inhale through the left
Close your left nostril with your ring finger and exhale through the right
Inhale through the right, then switch and exhale through the left
Continue alternating for 2 to 3 minutes
This practice balances both hemispheres of the brain and supports emotional regulation.
Making Breathwork a Daily Practice
You do not need a long meditation session to benefit from conscious breathing. Start by
Taking three deep belly breaths before meals
Pausing for a breathing reset between tasks
Adding breathwork to your morning or evening routine
Practising before sleep to prepare your body for rest
The goal is not perfection it is consistency.
Final Thoughts
Your breath is a built-in tool for healing. It is a regulator, a messenger and a bridge between your mind and body. When used with intention, it helps you move from stress to calm, from scattered to centred.
At BotaniQ Medical Clinic, we incorporate breathwork into holistic health plans for stress recovery, sleep support, emotional balance and nervous system regulation. If you feel disconnected, anxious or overwhelmed, your breath is often the best place to begin.
Breathe slowly. Breathe fully. Let each breath bring you back to yourself.
