The Ancient Practice for Less Stress and Better Focus: How Breath Transforms Your Mind, Body and Meditation Practice

You’ve probably been encouraged at some point to take a deep breath when feeling stressed, anxious, or upset. Maybe a parent told you to breathe after you scraped your knee, or a friend reminded you to inhale deeply before a big presentation.

Our breath holds incredible power—it’s an accessible and transformative tool for relaxation, healing from stress and trauma, and preparing the mind for meditation.

What is Breathwork? Understanding the Ancient Practice of Intentional Breathing

Breathwork is the intentional manipulation of the breath into specific patterns using inhales, exhales, and retentions (breath holds). In essence, it’s purposeful, conscious breathing.

The origins of breathwork date back as early as ~2500 B.C. with the practice of yoga. In Hindu traditions, it is called Pranayama, which translates to “extension of life force.” Within these traditions, prana (breath) is viewed as the universal energy that flows through the body. Similarly, East Asian cultures, including Chinese Taoist and Buddhist traditions, have long used breath as a means to enhance vitality and connect with the divine.

Breathwork isn’t just for meditation or spiritual practice—it’s also used in high-performance settings. The military, elite athletes, and extreme sports professionals rely on breath control to remain calm and focused in high-pressure situations.

Why is Breathwork So Powerful? The Science Behind Breath and the Nervous System

Breath is regulated by the autonomic nervous system, which also controls heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, and sexual arousal. This system has two primary responses:

• Sympathetic Response (Fight or Flight): The body’s stress response, releasing adrenaline and cortisol, increasing heart rate, and heightening alertness.

• Parasympathetic Response (Rest and Digest): The body’s relaxation state, promoting healing, digestion, and deep recovery.

Ideally, we should spend most of our time in the parasympathetic state, but modern life keeps many of us in chronic stress mode (sympathetic response). This prolonged state of stress can lead to anxiety, depression, PTSD, digestive issues, chronic pain, inflammation, and insomnia.

The good news? Breathwork is one of the easiest and most effective ways to activate the parasympathetic response. Unlike external tools, breath is always available to you—completely free and within your control.

Using Breathwork for Meditation: How Conscious Breathing Enhances Stillness and Focus

In the past decade, neuroimaging studies have shown that a consistent meditation practice can rewire the brain by increasing neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to form new neural pathways).

Within 30-45 seconds of meditation, the brain releases dopamine and serotonin—the body’s natural feel-good chemicals—which counteract stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Research has linked meditation to improved mental and physical health, including:

• Reduced pain and inflammation

• Lowered blood pressure

• Improved digestion (helpful for IBS and ulcerative colitis)

• Reduced anxiety and depression

• Better sleep and immune function

• Increased creativity, happiness, and emotional resilience

For those who struggle to meditate due to restlessness or distraction, breathwork can be a game-changer. Breathwork calms the nervous system and prepares the mind for meditation, making it easier to transition into a state of stillness.

What to Do If You Get Distracted: Training Your Mind for Presence and Awareness

Distraction during meditation is completely normal—even for experienced practitioners. Some days, you might sit for 20 minutes and only find five minutes of true stillness. And that’s okay.

The key isn’t achieving a “perfect” meditation session; it’s about consistently redirecting your focus back to the present moment.

If you find yourself easily distracted, breathwork can help. Breath control slows down the mind and serves as an active form of meditation, incorporating counting, rhythmic breathing, chanting, or sequential movement. Many people assume meditation requires sitting still in silence, but active meditations—such as breathwork, yoga, or tea ceremonies—are equally powerful.

Also, remember: Meditation gets easier with practice. If you’ve experienced chronic stress, trauma, anxiety, or PTSD, staying present can feel more challenging at first. But with patience and consistency, your ability to access calm and clarity will grow.

Reduce Your Stress Levels: A Free Guide to Cultivate Calm and Nervous System Regulation

If you struggle with stress, anxiety, PTSD, or simply find it difficult to shift into relaxation mode, breathwork is a powerful, accessible tool to integrate into your healing journey.

If you're ready to reset your stress levels and bring more ease into your life, download this free resource:

Cultivate Your Calm: A Simple Guide for Nervous System Regulation

In this resource, you’ll get:

• Three breathwork techniques that are perfect for beginners

• A recorded practice to help you follow your breath into deep relaxation

• Science-backed tools to shift from stress to calm in less than 15 minutes

Grab your free guide here