How much is shallow breathing costing your overall well-being?
Introduction
“How much is shallow breathing costing your overall well-being,” is the third class in a five-part series on the Breath hosted by Abdi Assadi and Pernilla Burke.
I used to think of breath as just… breath. Something the body did on its own, a background rhythm like the hum of a refrigerator—always there, barely noticed. It wasn’t until I found myself in the depths of stress, caught in a loop of fatigue and overwhelm, that I realized my breath was not supporting me; it was betraying me. I was breathing—but only just. Shallow, hurried, tight. My breath, instead of nourishing me, was keeping me locked in survival mode. Breathing is the bridge between the unconscious and the conscious, the seen and the unseen, the mind and the body. But most of us live in a constant state of restricted breathing, unaware of the toll it takes on our well-being. In this podcast episode, we dove deep into the impact of shallow breathing, the transformative power of breathwork, and how we can integrate mindful breathing into daily life to find clarity, balance, and healing.
The Impact of Shallow Breathing on Mind and Body
For years, I didn’t think about how I was breathing—just that I was. But when I started paying attention, I noticed the tightness in my chest, the way my shoulders were permanently clenched, the way I felt like I was always one step away from a deep exhale that never came.
Shallow breathing keeps us trapped in a low-grade fight-or-flight response. Our nervous system never truly relaxes, our stress hormones stay elevated, and our bodies operate as if we are constantly in danger. When we breathe only into the upper chest, we send signals to our brain that we are unsafe, triggering anxiety, fatigue, brain fog, and even physical ailments like digestive issues and chronic tension. This revelation hit me deeply. How many years had I been existing in a body that felt unsafe? How many of us are walking around, unknowingly suffocating ourselves—not from lack of air, but from lack of awareness? The truth is, the way we breathe is the way we live. Shallow, restricted breathing reflects a life of tension, disconnection, and unconscious stress. Deep, conscious breathing invites presence, grounding, and a profound sense of safety. It’s not just about breath; it’s about life itself.
Breathing Techniques for Emotional and Physical Well-being
There are so many different breathing techniques, but the beauty lies in their simplicity. One of the most transformative for me has been diaphragmatic breathing—breathing deep into the belly rather than the chest, allowing the breath to move naturally and fully. This activates the parasympathetic nervous system, signaling to the body: You are safe. You can let go. Another favorite is box breathing—inhale for four counts, hold for four, exhale for four, hold for four. It’s like a rhythmic reset for the nervous system, a pause button for an overstimulated mind. And then there’s the 4-7-8 breath—inhale for four, hold for seven, exhale for eight. It’s the closest thing I’ve found to an off-switch for anxiety. When my mind is racing, when my body is restless, when sleep feels impossible, this breath is my sanctuary. Breathwork is not about forcing stillness; it’s about inviting it. It’s about realizing that within every inhale and exhale, there is an opportunity for transformation.
Practical Ways to Integrate Mindful Breathing into Daily Life
Breathwork doesn’t have to be something we set aside time for—it can be something we weave into the fabric of our days. It can be as simple as taking a deep, conscious breath before answering an email. Pausing to inhale deeply before stepping into a stressful situation. Using the breath as an anchor when the mind starts spinning into stories of fear or worry. One of the most powerful shifts I’ve made is turning everyday moments into breathing rituals:
- Morning breathwork: Before reaching for my phone, I take five slow, deep breaths.
- Breathing before meals: A simple three-breath pause before eating helps shift the body into a state of rest and digestion.
- Breathing in nature: Walking outside, breathing in through the nose, exhaling longer than the inhale. A way to reconnect with the world around me.
- Breathing before bed: A few rounds of 4-7-8 breath to invite deep rest.
When we make breath a part of our daily rhythm, we stop living in a state of constant depletion. We reclaim our energy. We return to ourselves.
Conclusion
If there’s one thing I’ve learned on this journey, it’s that the breath is the most powerful tool we have—because it’s always with us. We don’t need anything external to access it. We don’t need to wait for the right moment. The breath is here, now. It’s the bridge between our thoughts and our body, between our stress and our peace, between survival and thriving. The question isn’t Are you breathing? The question is How are you breathing? Because how we breathe is how we live.And I don’t know about you, but I want to breathe deeply. I want to live fully.
And it all starts with a single, conscious breath.
