“Take a deep breath”. It sounds simple, almost too simple, but your breath is one of the most powerful tools you have to shift how your body feels in the moment.

We often think of the nervous system as something we can’t control: stress hits, our heart races, we feel anxious, and we just have to ride it out. But that’s not the full story. Through the breath, you can directly influence your nervous system and bring it back into balance.

Your Nervous System 101

Your nervous system has two main branches:

• The sympathetic nervous system — your “fight or flight” mode. It helps you respond to stress and danger, but when it’s switched on too often, you feel wired, tense, or exhausted.
• The parasympathetic nervous system — your “rest and digest” mode. This is where your body heals, digests, sleeps, and restores energy.

The bridge between the two? Your breath.

How Breath Creates Change

When you take slow, deep breaths, especially into your belly, you stimulate the vagus nerve, a key player in calming your nervous system. This tells your body it’s safe, helping to:

• Lower heart rate and blood pressure
• Reduce stress hormones
• Improve digestion
• Support focus and clarity
• Encourage deeper sleep

The best part is how quickly it works. In as little as 1–2 minutes, your breath can move you out of stress and back into calm.

Simple Techniques to Try

You don’t need fancy equipment or lots of time. Here are a few practices you can try today:

• Box breathing: Inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4. Repeat for a few minutes.
• Extended exhale: Inhale for 4, exhale for 6–8. This longer out-breath is especially calming.
• Diaphragmatic breathing: Place your hands on your belly. Inhale so your hands rise, exhale so they fall. This ensures you’re breathing deeply, not just into your chest.

Each one is a mini reset button for your nervous system.

Taking It Deeper

While these simple tools are powerful, guided breathwork takes it to another level. When you combine breathwork with mindful movement, like Pilates, you create a synergy that not only calms your nervous system but also builds resilience, strength, and balance in your whole body.

That’s exactly why I created my upcoming Pilates & Breathwork Retreat at Burleigh Court – a day designed to help you pause, recharge, and reconnect with your body through mindful movement, guided breathwork, and nourishing food in beautiful surroundings.

If your nervous system has been running on overdrive, this retreat is your invitation to reset.

👉 Find all the details and reserve your place here.