Boost your recovery with these three simple breathwork techniques

Your nervous system operates in two main states: the sympathetic (‘fight-or-flight’) and the parasympathetic (‘rest-and-digest’). Recovery happens in the latter as your body gets the chance to repair tissue and build muscle.

If your mind is constantly racing, your heart rate and blood pressure are high, it’s a sign you’re in stress mode. “Stress can be good for the body, but when it’s relentless, you are messing up your nervous system,” says Liza Al Sady, founder of breath-led multidisciplinary studio, We The Conscious.

Here are three breathwork micro-moments you can easily build into your day to regulate your nervous system and support recovery.

Liza says when we think of taking a few breaths, we often picture a couple of sharp inhales hitting the back of the nasal tract, but it should be a lot gentler and land in your stomach.

“Place a hand on your belly and inhale through your nose slowly into your belly. Imagine the breath travelling up, in, and down through the body. Slow it right down. Try breathing this way for 10 minutes.”

Diaphragmatic breathing gets its name from the way it strengthens and tones the diaphragm, helping the lungs draw in more air as the diaphragm moves downwards. You can practise lying down and instead of your hand you can also place a yoga block or a small stack of books on your stomach for added resistance if that feels good for you.

“This one calms the body completely as the extended exhale activates the parasympathetic nervous system,” says Liza. “Whatever you are inhaling, you are exhaling double. Try to inhale for two counts and exhale for four. Do that ten times while making tea or having a shower.”

Once you get comfortable with this you can also add in your peripheral vision by softening your gaze and focusing on a single point while becoming aware of what is above, below, and to the sides of it. Let your vision blur slightly and relax the muscles around your eyes. 

“Close your eyes and move them without moving your head from one side to the other side,” Liza says. “Inhale through the nose, trace the eyes across, and exhale through the nose. Try this after a long training session, it can put you to sleep in time.”

This one is great to practise while you are in bed, Liza adds. While you’re there, you should also consider your sleep hygiene. If you’re waking up with a dry mouth – a sign of mouth-breathing during sleep – Liza offers a simple fix: “Use soft surgical tape vertically across the lips at night. It gently encourages nasal breathing and supports your recovery.”

Explore classes and events on the We The Conscious website or follow them on Instagram.