Breathing Is Information: A Practical Menu for Daily Regulation
Change is the only constant. Breathing is much more than a biological necessity; it's a dynamic process that connects us to our environment and influences our energy and states of being. By understanding and consciously controlling our breath, we can tap into this interplay of frequencies and energies, enhancing our health and fostering a deeper connection with the universe.
Living organisms create fixed and rigid structures to harness and transform energy, providing a foundation for life in an ever-changing universe. These structures enable stability and efficiency, while still allowing for adaptation and resilience in many many different ways. From chemical bonds, to atomic structures, amino acid puzzles, and Fibonacci fingers, balancing the need for stability with the capacity for change through replicating efficiency of life creating infrastructure (which means nothing on it's on but everything in context), life can thrive in diverse environments, demonstrating an intricate interplay between rigidity and flexibility, doing and not doing, being and not being. This duality is essential for the survival and evolution of all living things.
Breathe, there is no life without letting go. Transformation is the answer.
Breathing facts you can use
Humans have lungs: highly efficient structures for gas exchange essential to aerobic respiration. While it’s tempting to imagine “photosynthetic humans,” that would require profound, multi-system biological changes. Humans remain adapted to cellular respiration requiring oxygen and energy from organic materials.
Automatic + voluntary: respiration is paced automatically by brainstem networks, yet remains voluntarily steerable (breath holds, slow exhales). This is why simple drills can shift state quickly.
Rate at rest: typical adults breathe ~12–20 times per minute at rest; rate rises with exertion and stress.
Oxygen utilization: room air is ~21% O2; each tidal breath (~500 mL) contributes to alveolar gas exchange with about a fifth of inhaled O2 extracted across the lungs on average, modulated by ventilation–perfusion matching and activity.
Emotions ↔ breath: rapid, shallow breathing maps to threat physiology; slower, deeper breathing supports parasympathetic tone and perceived safety.
Nasal breathing: the nose filters, warms, and humidifies air; nasal passages also generate nitric oxide which supports local blood flow and oxygen transport.
Breath & digestion: diaphragmatic descent and ascent massage abdominal organs and can aid motility for some individuals.
Training works: simple techniques—diaphragmatic/“belly” breathing, box breathing, alternate nostril breathing—can reduce stress, improve focus, and support recovery.
Lung volumes: average total lung capacity is ~6 L, but only ~500 mL is exchanged per normal breath (tidal volume) at rest.
Sleep synergy: down-shifting with slow nasal breathing can ease sleep onset and improve perceived sleep quality.
Breathing & lifespan: across species, slower resting rates often co-occur with longer lifespans (allometric scaling). For humans, the actionable lever is state regulation: slower, smoother breathing supports cardiovascular variability and stress recovery.
Plants vs. animals (quick compare): animals inhale O2/exhale CO2 via lungs or gills; plants exchange gases via stomata and perform photosynthesis (day) while also respiring continuously.
Mitochondria: the electron transport chain turns oxygen + substrates into ATP; electron transfer efficiency is exquisitely sensitive to cellular environment. Breath-driven CO2/O2 dynamics help set that environment.
Breathing is information
When stress speeds your breath, your brain reads “threat.” The reverse is equally powerful: slowing to about six breaths per minute (one breath ≈ 10 seconds) sends “safe” signals that reduce sympathetic load. Even 60 seconds can shift your state and modulate pain perception.
A daily practice of breathing
A daily practice of breathing – If seated meditation feels hard, start with breath. You don’t have to use the same technique every time. Experiment and listen to your body. Aim to do at least one of these practices every day. Even one minute of focused, intentional breathing can make a noticeable difference.
BREATHING MENU & VIDEOS
One minute, six breaths. Set a 60-second timer and complete six smooth breaths (≈5 seconds in, ≈5 seconds out). Try once after waking, once after lunch, once before bed. You’ll slow heart rate, nudge your nervous system toward a “thrive” state, and build awareness that carries into the day.
3–4–5 Breath. Inhale 3 seconds, hold 4 seconds, exhale 5 seconds. A longer exhale biases parasympathetic activity. Do a few rounds or extend up to five minutes as tolerated.
Box breathing. Inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4. Many people find this especially useful before bedtime or pre-performance to steady attention and reduce cognitive noise.
Nadi Shodhan. Alternate-nostril breathing. Follow the sequence described below for 10 cycles to balance attention and energy. Increase as it becomes familiar.
Kapalabhati. “Skull Shining” breath. Strong, active exhales via abdominal snap; passive inhales. Do 10–20 breaths and then observe. Learn with a trained instructor; skip if you’re pregnant or have contraindications noted below.
Guided steps (as provided)
One minute, six breaths. Because making new habits is hard, I want to start easy. For this practice, I’d like you to set aside just one minute to consciously take six breaths. This means that each breath should take about ten seconds to complete, in and out. Use a timer or the second hand of a clock to keep track. If you’re new to this kind of practice, you may find that eight breaths in one minute is a little easier to start with. Ideally, I’d like you to do this once in the morning after you’ve got up, once after lunch and once just before you go to bed. You’ll slow your heart rate down, help activate your thrive state and replace a lot of that bad information with good. If you do this for just sixty seconds in the morning, you’ll start to become more aware of your breath for the remainder of the day.
3–4–5 Breath. I find that this exercise can be extremely effective for patients who are prone to anxiety or stress. It could hardly be simpler. Breathe in for three seconds, hold for four seconds and breathe out for five seconds. When your outbreath is longer than your in-breath, you reduce the activation of your stress state and encourage your body to move into a thrive state. You can do a few rounds of this breath or extend it to take five minutes. Listen to your body and see what works for you.
Box breathing. This can be done at any time, but patients report to me that it’s especially useful just before bedtime. Breathe in for four seconds, hold for four seconds, breathe out for four seconds, then hold for another four. Box breathing helps lower stress levels, calm the nervous system and take your mind away from distracting thoughts. It’s reported that Navy Seals use this method to control their stress levels.
Nadi Shodhan. Alternate-nostril breathing can give a boost of energy as well as help you fall asleep (see p. 241). Sit comfortably, with your shoulders relaxed. Place your right thumb on to your right nostril to block it and fully exhale through your left nostril. Breathe in through your left nostril for a count of four. Place the ring finger and little finger of your right hand on to your left nostril to block it. Release your right thumb and breathe out through your right nostril for a count of four. At the end of the breath, keep your fingers where they are and breathe in through the right nostril for four. Place the thumb back over the right nostril and breathe out through the left nostril. This is one cycle. Start off by doing ten rounds. You can increase this as you become more familiar with the practice.
Kapalabhati. Otherwise known as the ‘Skull Shining Breath’, this forced diaphragmatic breath is a pretty intense exercise but great for a quick pick-me-up. As you take a full deep breath in through your nose, your abdomen will expand. As you exhale, pull your belly button in forcefully and actively, as if it’s going in towards the spine. (It can be helpful to think about throwing your breath out.) After each exhale, as your abdomen expands again, you’ll automatically start to inhale. Do ten to twenty of these breaths. Afterwards, pay attention to how you feel. It is always best to learn this one from a trained yoga instructor. Please avoid doing it on an empty stomach, if you’re pregnant, have a stent or pacemaker or a history of epilepsy or a hernia.
Give some of these techniques a go and let me know how you get on. For more on breathing and how we can use it to reduce our stress order my book The Stress Solution: The 4 Steps to Reset Your Body, Mind, Relationships & Purpose, here.
DISCLAIMER: The content in this blog is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this blog or on this website.
by Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, MbChB, BSc (Hons), MRCP, MRCGP