During our Yoga Bootcamp and Yoga Energy Flow classes at Aerial Mountain Springs, in Clarkesville, GA, we emphasize the importance of nasal breathing as a powerful technique for managing energy and focus. While we ensure our students leave class in a calm state through alternate nostril breathing and progressive relaxation response, the skill of controlled nose breathing has benefits that extend far beyond the studio space.
A Foundation Built Throughout Class
“Breathe in through the nose, out through the nose” is our consistent mantra during practice. The only exception is during the Standing Heating Breath at the beginning of class, when we intentionally use a different breathing pattern to warm up the body quickly.
During flow sequences, we continually remind participants to move at their own pace while maintaining nose breathing. As we often say, “If you catch yourself breathing through the mouth, slow down and recover nose breathing.” This establishes a strong foundation of breath awareness that serves you in numerous situations outside of class.
Real-World Application: From Heart-Pumping to Precision Focus
One powerful way Tim and I train with nasal breathing is through a specific sequence that mimics high-pressure transitions in everyday life. We begin with heart rate-elevating exercises using battle ropes, followed by pushups and squats while wearing a weighted vest. These activities dramatically increase heart rate and respiratory demand.
Then comes the crucial transition – immediately after this intense exertion, we move to target shooting, an activity requiring absolute focus, steady hands, and precise control. This sequence creates the perfect training ground for mastering the shift from high sympathetic activation to calm, focused attention using only your breath as the bridge.
By maintaining nasal breathing during this transition, you’re training your nervous system to quickly pivot between activation states, a skill that transfers to countless real-world scenarios – from high-stakes presentations after rushing to a meeting, to complex decision-making following emotionally charged conversations.
The Science Behind Controlled Breathing
When we engage in high-intensity activities or experience stress, our sympathetic nervous system (our “fight or flight” response) kicks into high gear. Our heart rate increases, breathing becomes rapid, and stress hormones surge. To transition effectively to focused activities, we need to activate our parasympathetic nervous system—the “rest and digest” mode.
Nasal breathing is one of the most powerful tools for making this shift. Unlike mouth breathing, which can perpetuate the stress response, breathing through your nose:
- Filters and warms incoming air
- Produces nitric oxide, which helps dilate blood vessels
- Activates the vagus nerve, directly signaling your body to calm down
- Regulates breathing depth and pace naturally
[A study from the National Institutes of Health found that diaphragmatic breathing could “improve sustained attention, affect, and cortisol levels” while reducing negative emotional responses to stress. Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5455070/]
When Nose Meets Belly: The Breathing Magic You Didn’t Know You Needed
Ever notice how babies breathe? They don’t heave their chests up and down—their little bellies rise and fall with each breath. Somewhere along the way, many of us lost this natural pattern. In our classes at Aerial Mountain Springs, we’re bringing it back with a powerful combination: nose breathing paired with belly breathing.
Before we guide students into their final relaxation, we teach this game-changing technique:
“Lie on your back, place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly,” we tell them. “Now, breathe in through your nose and make only your belly expand like a balloon. When you breathe out through your nose, let your belly shrink back down. Your chest shouldn’t move at all.”
The first few attempts may bring some unexpected frustration – you may notice that your chest keeps moving. But with a little practice, something clicks, and you can literally see the tension melt from your body.
[A narrative review published by NIH found that diaphragmatic breathing “affects the brain and the cardiovascular, respiratory, and gastrointestinal systems through the modulation of autonomic nervous functions.” Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7602530/]
Real-Life Superpowers
This isn’t just a feel-good exercise—it’s practical magic for your everyday life:
Morning Meeting Meltdowns: Picture this—you’re about to present to your team, your heart’s racing, and your thoughts are scattered. Three belly breaths through your nose can reset your nervous system in seconds. Several of our students report using this technique before speaking in meetings with impressive results.
Traffic Tension Tamers: One student told us how belly breathing through her nose transformed her commute from a stress fest to what she now calls her “mobile meditation.” When that driver cuts you off, your breathing technique becomes your secret weapon against road rage.
Sleepless Night Solutions: Another student struggled with racing thoughts at bedtime until she started practicing this combination. “I put one hand on my belly, breathe through my nose, and I’m usually asleep before I reach breath ten,” she shared.
Why Your Body Loves This Combo
When you breathe through your nose into your belly, you’re activating your thoracic diaphragm—that dome-shaped muscle beneath your lungs that most people never consciously engage. This creates a beautiful cascade of benefits:
- Your body produces nitric oxide during nasal breathing, which helps dilate blood vessels
- Your diaphragm massages your internal organs, improving digestion and circulation
- Your mind receives clear signals that you’re safe, reducing anxiety on the spot
- Your core muscles get a gentle workout with every breath
It’s like discovering you’ve had a superpower hiding inside you all along.
Try it right now—one hand on chest, one on belly, breathe in through your nose and feel your belly expand. Something so simple shouldn’t feel so revolutionary, but it does. And the more you practice, the more automatic it becomes—even during those battle rope sessions or weighted vest squats before target shooting!
The 90-Second Reset Technique
Whether you’ve just completed an intense workout, find yourself anxious at work, or need to transition between demanding activities, try this simple practice:
- Find a comfortable seated position
- Close your mouth completely
- Breathe in through your nose for a count of 4
- Hold briefly for a count of 1
- Exhale slowly through your nose for a count of 6
- Repeat for 90 seconds (set a timer if needed)
This 4-1-6 pattern signals safety to your nervous system and helps lower your heart rate significantly faster than if you were to continue breathing rapidly through your mouth.
[A randomized controlled study published in PMC found that “cyclic sighing, which emphasizes prolonged exhalations” (similar to the 4-1-6 pattern) produced “greater improvement in mood and reduction in respiratory rate” compared to other breathing techniques. Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9873947/]
Benefits Beyond Recovery
The power of controlled nose breathing extends far beyond simple physical recovery. When you master this technique, you’re actually rewiring your brain and body for enhanced performance in whatever comes next:
Cognitive Enhancement
Nasal breathing increases oxygen uptake efficiency by 10-20% compared to mouth breathing. This improved oxygenation directly benefits your brain, enhancing neural activity in regions responsible for executive function, working memory, and attention. Studies have shown that participants who practiced controlled nasal breathing performed better on complex problem-solving tasks and experienced fewer cognitive errors in high-pressure situations.
[Research published in the PMC (PubMed Central) demonstrated that nasal breathing specifically “entrains human limbic oscillations and modulates cognitive function,” providing a direct neurological link between breathing through the nose and improved cognitive performance. Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5148230/]
Emotional Regulation
The direct connection between your breath and vagus nerve creates a powerful tool for emotional management. By shifting from rapid, shallow breathing to controlled nasal breathing, you can literally change your emotional state within minutes. This technique helps neutralize intense emotions like frustration, anxiety, or anger that might otherwise cloud judgment and decision-making after intense physical activity or during stressful situations.
[A systematic review on diaphragmatic breathing found evidence that it “may decrease stress as measured by physiologic biomarkers, as well as psychological self-report tools,” supporting its use as a “self-administered, low-cost, non-pharmacologic intervention.” Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31436595/]
Improved Learning and Memory
The state of calm alertness created through controlled nasal breathing is ideal for learning and memory formation. Research has shown that information absorption and retention improve significantly in this parasympathetic-dominant state compared to either highly aroused or lethargic states. This makes the transition from physical activity to mental work particularly effective when bridged by conscious breathing.
Energy Conservation and Redirection
Mouth breathing wastes energy through excessive moisture loss and irregular breathing patterns. By contrast, nasal breathing conserves energy by optimizing respiratory efficiency. This conservation allows you to redirect vital energy from recovery to the mental focus required for subsequent tasks, whether that’s creative work, strategic thinking, or interpersonal communication.
Enhanced Mind-Body Integration
Perhaps most importantly, controlled nasal breathing strengthens the connection between mind and body. This integration helps you develop greater interoceptive awareness—the ability to sense and interpret internal bodily signals. With practice, you’ll become increasingly attuned to subtle changes in energy, attention, and emotional states, allowing for more skillful self-regulation throughout your day.
Becoming more familiar with these internal signals will help you recognize them and respond to them more effectively. For example, someone with well-developed interoceptive awareness might notice their breathing becoming shallow and their heart rate increasing at the first signs of stress, allowing them to intervene with controlled nasal breathing before the stress response fully activates.
This awareness is a key benefit of regular breathwork practice and forms the foundation of the mind-body connection.
Consistency Creates Transformation | Make It a Practice
The practice of slowing down when breath becomes irregular—something we emphasize during our flows—translates directly to life off the mat. When you notice stress rising in daily situations, this same awareness allows you to catch yourself and return to controlled nasal breathing.
Like any skill, controlled nose breathing becomes more effective with practice. Consider adding it to your regular routine, not just after workouts but whenever you need to transition between different energy states throughout your day.
Since you’ve already practiced nose breathing throughout your entire Aerial Mountain Springs intense session of “finding hell and rising to heaven”, your body is primed to continue this pattern after class ends.
So, the next time you catch yourself feeling anxious remember that your breath is the most powerful tool you have for creating the mental state you need for whatever heaven or hell awaits you next.
Your breath is your tactical advantage. Deploy it wisely. See you on the mat! -Tim and Vie
