A Simple Shift, Profound Difference

How to breathe well is a very complicated subject – and it’s becoming clear that sub-optimal breathing affects more than just our respiratory system.

Tuning into the power of your breath can support your nervous system, positively influencing your sleep, your digestion, and your ability to think clearly in stressful situations. These are super important to our well-being.

So how do you build a healthier relationship with your breath?

Try this simple shift, and see if it works for you. It is making a big difference for me.

When you want to find a sense of inner calm, don’t aim to “take a deep breath.” Instead, try taking a low, slow and light breath. The key change here is getting more specific about the direction of your breath, from deep to low.

I’ve been helping students bring awareness to and strengthen their respiratory diaphragm for a while now. Recently, I’ve noticed that when I am teaching students a calming breath pattern, students are making a lot of noise when inhaling as they attempt to breathe in as deeply as they possibly can.

I realize the noise can be an anatomical issue, but I am very sure that many students are adding a layer of tension to their inhale, which defeats the purpose.

We are all trying so hard to calm ourselves down that the old adage “take a deep breath” leaves us taking the deepest breath we can possibly take, thinking that we will then be calmer when we get to the exhale.

Unfortunately, it does not work like that.

“Take a deep breath” needs a replacement.  Let’s try “take a low breath.”

I got the idea of switching to breathing low  from a podcast featuring Patrick McKeown, author of the book Atomic Focus and a dozen other breath-related books.

So much effort to take a deep breath often adds tension, which is the opposite of what we want.

By breathing in and out through the nose, into the lower regions of the lungs, you are more actively engaging your diaphragm. If you want to calm your nervous system, you want to feel your breath as low, slow and light.

In-Person Series: Simply Breath Yoga

If you are interested in joining the May 2025 Simply Breath yoga and movement  series, hosted by KIHC, please contact me at [email protected] or register here.

For more articles about the breath, yoga, and Pam, please take a look on our website, here.