Change Your Breath, Change Your Life: The Most Underrated Wellness Habit You Already Have

If you’re stressed, wired, overwhelmed, or lying awake at night wondering why you can’t sleep… this one’s for you.

We breathe all day long — about 20,000 breaths per day — and yet almost none of us think about how we’re breathing. But the way we breathe affects everything from our mood and digestion to inflammation, sleep quality, focus, and even how quickly we can recover from stress.

In this episode of the Say Yes! to Chocolate Podcast, Sara B and Dr. Becky wrap up the 7 Simple & Easy Habits series with one of the most accessible, powerful, and shockingly effective wellness tools we have:

👉 Intentional breathing.

Not just breathing… on purpose breathing.

And a promise for you — once you understand what it does for your body, you’ll never look at your breath the same way again.

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🎧 Listen to the full episode: 

🎥 Watch the full episode:

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Why Your Breath Matters More Than You Think

Most of us are walking around in a chronic state of low-grade stress.

Deadlines. Notifications. Overthinking. Poor sleep. Hormone changes. Health challenges. Sitting all day. Life.

We’ve normalized feeling tense, wired, exhausted, or “fine but tightly wound” — but your nervous system hasn’t.

This is where intentional breathing comes in.

Your Breath = A Direct Line to Your Nervous System

Your breath is one of the only things you can consciously control that sends immediate signals to your autonomic nervous system — the system that regulates:

• Heart rate
• Blood pressure
• Digestion
• Hormone balance
• Inflammation
• Stress response

And at the center of it all is the vagus nerve — the massive “superhighway” connecting your brain and your body.

When your breath is shallow, fast, or tense → your body thinks you’re in danger.

When your breath is slow, deep, and intentional → your body shifts into rest + digest mode.

It’s that simple. And that powerful.

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Sara B’s Story: The Breathwork Skeptic Turned Believer

Sara B will be the first to admit this:
She rolled her eyes at intentional breathing. Hard.

She thought it sounded silly — until a practitioner insisted she try it.

She decided to give it a chance, and the results were undeniable:

✨ Deeper sleep
✨ Better mood
✨ Lower stress response
✨ Feeling calmer during the day
✨ More awareness of how often she was holding her breath

(Side note: Once you start noticing when you hold your breath… you can’t unsee it. Washing dishes? Holding breath. Sitting at a red light? Holding breath. Peeling a carrot? Yep… holding breath.)

Breathing became the tool she initially didn’t want, and certainly didn’t believe in — but ended up needing most.

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3 Simple Breathing Techniques That Actually Work

You don’t need an app, a device, or an hour of meditation. You just need 60 seconds and a little awareness.

Here are the three techniques we talk through in this episode:

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1. The 4-7-8 Breath (The “Ocean Breath” Upgrade)

This technique activates your vagus nerve fast and has been shown to calm the nervous system within just a few cycles.

How to do it:

• Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds
• Hold for 7 seconds
• Exhale through your mouth for 8 seconds

Sara B adds a soft “shhh” ocean sound on the exhale — it pushes your stomach gently toward your spine and increases vagal activation.

Best for:
✔ racing thoughts
✔ bedtime routines
✔ calming anxiety
✔ winding down after a stressful day

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2. Box Breathing

Used by Navy SEALs, athletes, and therapists — and for good reason.

How to do it:
Inhale 4 → Hold 4 → Exhale 4 → Hold 4
Repeat several times.

Best for:
✔ daytime stress
✔ transition moments (between meetings, before picking up kids, etc.)
✔ grounding when your body feels “amped”

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3. Humming

Yes… humming. And no, you don’t need to hit a single note correctly.

Humming creates vibration in your throat, chest, and face — all areas rich in vagus nerve pathways. It’s fun, effective, and discreet.

Best for:
✔ driving
✔ grocery shopping
✔ when you want something calming but subtle
✔ building vagal tone over time

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When Should You Use Intentional Breathing?

Anytime. Truly.

But here are our favorite times:

🌅 1. First thing in the morning

Pair it with sunlight and you get a double win for your nervous system.

☀️ 2. Throughout the day

Use it during stressful moments or anytime you feel tension rising.

🌙 3. Before bed

This is where you’ll notice the biggest payoff — especially for those “busy brain” nights.

🍽️ 4. Before meals (Dr. Becky’s favorite tip)

A few slow breaths before eating activates digestion and helps your body shift into rest-and-digest mode.

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The KISS Action Step

You know our rule: information is nothing without action.

Your simple step today: Take 3 minutes to notice your breath.

• Is it shallow?
• Are your shoulders tight?
• Are you breathing from your chest or your diaphragm?
• Are you accidentally holding your breath?

Then choose ONE of the techniques above and try it.

Remember:
Progress, not perfection. Your body responds to practice, not pressure.

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Want All 7 Simple & Easy Habits in One Place?

We created a free guide with the exact habits that helped us simplify our wellness and feel like ourselves again.

👉 Download the 7 Simple & Easy Habits Guide
https://www.drbeckyonline.com/easyhabits

Simple. Sustainable. Life-giving.
Exactly how wellness should feel.