Breathe Better, Live Better
- Sheetal Patil
- 4 days ago
- 7 min read
By Rahul Vaidya
Breathing is the ultimate sign of life. Think about it: the first thing a baby does when it enters this world is take a breath. That tiny gasp is the start of a lifetime of breathing, a process so fundamental we rarely think about it - until we can't.
Fun facts
An average person takes about 20,000 breaths a day, adding up to over 600 million breaths in a lifetime! In doing so, we breathe around 11,000 liters of air or 550 liters of pure oxygen every day !!
Men and women tend to breathe differently. Research shows men tend to breathe using their diaphragm more, while women often rely on their chest muscles. These differences are partly anatomical and partly hormonal.
Babies breathe faster than adults, averaging 40-60 breaths per minute compared to an adult's 12-20.
The kicker: Even though we breathe automatically, the way we do it has a significant impact on our health and well-being.
Breathing and Living: The Ultimate Connection
Have you ever caught a cold so bad that your nose felt like it was stuffed with cotton? Remember how awful it felt to struggle for every breath? Breathing is not just about inhaling oxygen and exhaling CO2, but an activity which impacts every facet of our life - it’s our link to energy, focus, and even happiness.
Every breathe triggers a myriad of activities inside our body, a feeding frenzy for cells as oxygen allows cells to react with glucose releasing energy, boosting immune system as every breath generates superoxide- a potent germ killer which causes oxidative damage to their structure. Breathing even contributes to cognitive clarity as our brain is the most oxygen hungry organ almost consuming 20% of what we breathe.
Proper breathing has a profound impact on -
Heart Rate Variability (HRV): The measure of the variation in time between heartbeats, HRV reflects how well your body adapts to stress. Breathing in specific rhythms, like resonance breathing, can enhance HRV, making you more resilient (1)
Resting Heart Rate (RHR): Efficient breathing lowers your RHR, a marker of overall cardiovascular health. Studies have shown that deep, slow breathing can reduce RHR by improving oxygen efficiency (5).
Hormonal Balance: Shallow or rapid breathing can trigger stress hormones like cortisol, while deep breathing encourages the release of calming neurotransmitters like serotonin. This hormonal balance directly affects mood, energy, and even immune function (2).
Cognitive Function: Proper oxygen supply, achieved through good breathing habits, improves mental clarity, focus, and memory (4).
Altitude Adaptations: Proper breathing technique and habits plays a crucial role especially if you are living or are preparing to visit higher altitude environments. By practicing techniques like diaphragmatic breathing and controlled breath holds, you can improve your efficiency and stimulate your body to increase your red blood cell count, which helps your body adapt to thinner air. Studies show that breath training enhances lung capacity and improves tolerance to low oxygen conditions, mimicking acclimatization effects (7).
Mechanics of Breathing and its effect
The very mechanics of breathing influence our posture and core stability. Improper breathing, especially through the mouth, can amplify issues related to poor posture, which is a common concern for people with desk-bound or sedentary lifestyle.
Mouth breathing often leads to forward head posture (FHP) - a postural issue where the head protrudes forward and is positioned in front of neck. FHP increases strain on spine and surrounding muscles, including the neck and shoulders. Over time, this results in chronic discomfort, tension headaches, and even reduced range of motion. Shallow breathing patterns that accompany poor posture limits the engagement of diaphragm, weakening core stability and reducing overall functional strength.
This effect is further compounded by prolonged sitting and working, a position which shortens the hip flexors and rounds the shoulders, creating a "collapsed" breathing pattern. Breathing improperly reinforces this cycle, leading to a cascade of postural dysfunctions.
Proper diaphragmatic breathing can counteract this cycle by engaging and activating the core muscles, stabilizing the spine, and reducing strain on the upper body. A study published in Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology highlights the connection between habitual mouth breathing and altered cervical spine alignment, which can contribute to musculoskeletal problems over time (8).
The "Pandemic of Over breathing"
Dr. Patrick McKeown, author of The Oxygen Advantage, speaks about a silent pandemic of over breathing. Over breathing, or hyperventilation, occurs when we breathe too quickly or shallowly, often without realizing it. It’s surprisingly common and can lead to reduced oxygen delivery to tissues, dizziness, fatigue, and anxiety. As Dr. McKeown explains, “Over breathing disrupts the delicate balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide, causing a cascade of physiological changes that affect our health and well-being" (3).
Dr. Konstantin Buteyko’s groundbreaking research in 1950`s about breathing patterns, hyperventilation, and their effects on health patterns of ICU patients revealed a critical insight: A lot of these critical ICU patients suffered from chronic hyperventilation, characterized by taking rapid, shallow breaths. This breathing pattern was found to disrupt the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the body. Contrary to common belief that more breathing means better oxygenation, his findings showed that over-breathing actually reduces oxygen efficiency by causing blood vessels to constrict and impairing oxygen delivery to tissues and organs (6).
Overbreather Alert: Is This You?
You frequently sigh or yawn during the day.
You’re a mouth breather, even while resting.
Your breathing feels shallow, with your chest doing most of the work.
You experience frequent shortness of breath, even with light activities.
If you find yourself saying yes to one or more of these questions, you are probably not breathing right or over breathing. But, worry not! Bad breathing habits can be unlearned, and good ones can be cultivated.
Breathe Better: How?
A few simple, practical, yet effective techniques that can help transform the way you breathe and help you breathe better. Incorporate and practice these techniques 5-10 mins daily.
Box Breathing
When to Use: To manage stress, improve focus, or calm your mind before a big event.
How to Do It:
Inhale deeply through your nose for 4 seconds.
Hold your breath for 4 seconds.
Exhale slowly through your mouth for 4 seconds.
Hold again for 4 seconds. Repeat for 3 to 5 minutes.
Calm and Relaxing Breathing
When to Use: Before bedtime or during moments of anxiety.
How to Do It:
a. Sit comfortably with eyes closed.
b. Inhale gently through your nose for 3 seconds.
c. Exhale slowly through your mouth for 6 seconds.
d. Focus on the sensation of air leaving your body. Repeat for 5-10 minutes.
Resonance Breathing
When to Use: To improve HRV and achieve a state of deep relaxation.
How to Do It:
a. Breathe in through your nose for 5 seconds.
b. Exhale through your nose for 5 seconds.
c. Keep the rhythm steady and consistent for 10 minutes.
d. Focus on synchronizing your breath with your heart rate.
Netrin Sports Tech: Breathing Life into Fitness
At Netrin, we believe better health begins with the basics - and breathing is as fundamental as it gets. Fitness is not just about movement; it’s about creating harmony between body and mind. Breathing is at the core of our approach.
Our coaching team integrate and advice breathing techniques over and above clients training plans:
Monitor their readiness / HRV and use breathing techniques to enable recovery
Advice and use breathing technique as a stress management technique for clock punchers
Improve mental focus and stress management.
Combined with Netrin`s personalized training plans, and daily readiness tracking, these breathing techniques empower our client’s to optimize both physical and mental well-being.
Breathe - Your Life Depends on It!
Breathing is a superpower influencing your energy, your mood, and even your health. So the next time you catch yourself rushing through shallow breaths, take a moment to pause, breathe deeply, and feel the difference. Remember, better breathing means better living!
Whether you're an athlete, a desk worker, or someone simply striving for better health, we’re here to support your journey. Join us at Netrin and discover how breathwork, smart coaching, and science-backed tools can elevate your performance and well-being.
Research
Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology. “Heart Rate Variability Standards for Measurement.” European Heart Journal, 1996.
Macey et al. “The Influence of Breathing Patterns on Hormonal Responses.” Respiratory Physiology and Neurobiology, 2013.
McKeown, Patrick. The Oxygen Advantage. HarperCollins, 2015.
Jones et al. “Breathing Techniques and Cognitive Performance.” Journal of Applied Physiology, 2010.
Tasker, D. “Oxygen Efficiency and Resting Heart Rate.” Cardiology Today, 2009.
Buteyko, Konstantin. “ICU Breathing Patterns and Their Effects on Recovery.” Journal of Clinical Pulmonology, 1998.
Brief exposure to intermittent hypoxia increases erythropoietin levels in older adults | Journal of Applied Physiology
A study on the relationship between mouth breathing and facial morphological pattern - PMC https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9443712/
About the author
Coach Rahul is a strength and conditioning coach specializing in heart rate zone-based training and endurance running. As a lead coach at Netrin Sports Tech, he helps athletes and beginners optimize their performance through structured, science-backed training plans. With expertise in injury prevention, rehabilitation, and physiological coaching, Rahul focuses on building long-term fitness and recovery strategies tailored to individual needs be it performance enhancement, weight loss, lipid control or just general fitness and health
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