Breathe Fit

This simple breathing exercise can lower your blood pressure 👇

Remember the exercise from my last post?

Gently reduce the sound of your nose breathing just enough that you feel a slight air hunger (the desire to take another breath). Do this for 1–2 minutes.

That feeling of air hunger?
👉 It’s carbon dioxide rising slightly in your body.

When this happens, something powerful occurs…

Your blood vessels and airways relax and widen, improving oxygen delivery to your muscles and organs.

Your heart doesn’t have to work as hard — and your blood pressure can drop.

Try measuring your pulse before and after… you should notice it slow down.

If you give it a go, let me know how much your heart rate drops 👇

Try this simple breathing exercise 👇

Sit comfortably and breathe gently through your nose.

Now ask yourself:�“Can I breathe a little quieter? A little softer?”

Reduce your breathing just enough that you feel a slight air hunger (the desire to take another breath) for 1–2 minutes.

That air hunger feeling is your carbon dioxide rising slightly — and it’s exactly what helps your body adapt.

When you do this, you might:�
✔ Start yawning�
✔ Hear gurgling noises from your belly
✔ Feel flushed

What’s happening? Higher levels of CO2 help your body relax, improve blood flow to your head and activate your digestive system.

If you try this, let me know how you feel 👇

Remember this? Someone feels faint or dizzy… and they’re told to breathe into a paper bag.

Why does that work? It’s all about carbon dioxide (CO₂).

When someone is breathing too fast, they don’t have enough CO2 in their system, leading to:�
• Dizziness�
• Tingling in the fingers�
• Light-headedness

That’s because CO₂ is essential for good blood flow and oxygen delivery around the body.

So when you breathe into a paper bag, you’re re-breathing some of your exhaled CO₂ — helping to raise it to normal levels.

The takeaway?
Healthy breathing is not about getting MORE air…�It’s about breathing in balance and having enough CO₂ in your system

If you feel faint, chances are that it's because of how you are breathing.

“Mouth breathing is bad.”

But is it always? The truth is—it depends.

Your nose is designed for breathing:
✔️ It filters the air
✔️ Warms it
✔️ Helps regulate how much you breathe

So for everyday breathing—rest, sleep, and light activity—nose breathing is ideal.

There are times when mouth breathing is completely normal:
➡️ During high-intensity exercise.
➡️ When your body needs more air quickly, like when you have a cold.

The problem isn’t occasional mouth breathing — it’s when it becomes your default.

If you’re breathing through your mouth most of the day (or at night), that’s when issues like poor sleep, snoring, and breathlessness can start to show up.

Do you ever wake up with a dry mouth? This is a sign of mouth breathing during sleep.

Next time you notice your breathing, ask yourself… Am I breathing through my nose or my mouth?

Do you feel out of breath sometimes?

Most people assume it means the oxygen level in their blood is low—and that they’re suffocating. But in many cases… your oxygen levels are actually fine.

So why do you feel like you can’t breathe?

Your body doesn’t rely on oxygen to tell you when to breathe—it relies mostly on carbon dioxide (CO₂).

As CO₂ levels in your blood rise, your brain signals the urge to breathe.
If you’re more sensitive to that rise, you’ll feel breathless much sooner—even when oxygen is still available.

This is really common in:
✔️ People who feel out of breath during exercise
✔️ Those with asthma or anxiety
✔️ Anyone who tends to over-breathe

The good news is, you can train your body to become more comfortable with rising CO₂ levels—and feel calmer and more in control of your breathing.

Breathlessness isn’t always about needing more air — it’s about learning to breathe more efficiently.

Have you ever felt out of breath and not known why? it

I remember hearing my Dad say, “Just take a deep breath”, when I was nervous.

We’ve all heard it. But what if that’s not always the best advice? 🤔

When you feel stressed, your breathing often becomes faster and heavier. So if you respond by taking bigger, deeper breaths… you might actually be adding to the problem.

Over-breathing (breathing more than your body needs) lowers carbon dioxide levels in the body, which can increase feelings of anxiety, dizziness, and tension.

Instead, try this:

➡️ Slow your breathing down
➡️ Breathe gently through your nose
➡️ Think “light and calm” rather than “big and deep”

Sometimes, less is more when it comes to breathing. What really matters is how much oxygen you deliver to your muscles and organs—not how much air you can inhale.

Have you ever noticed your breathing when you’re stressed?

Week 1 - Nose breathing

Your mouth has nothing in it for breathing - tongue, teeth, gums and lips are for eating, talking… and kissing. Even camels kiss as a greeting apparently!

Your nose is for breathing. Except if you need to sprint to catch a bus or escape from a fire!

The nose protects your sensitive lungs, filtering out pollution from the air, warming and moisturising it, so oxygen can enter your body more efficiently.

But many people breathe through their mouth all day without realising it — which can affect sleep, energy, and exercise.

Quick check:�Are your lips gently together right now?

BRING-A-FRIEND SPRING PACKAGE

Do you always feel out of breath when you run or swim?�Or do you wake up tired despite a full night’s sleep?

I’m offering a limited Bring-a-Friend Breath Coaching package — where the first person pays full price and the second gets 50% off, so you can join the sessions together, practice together and improve together.

This is ideal for running or swim partners, couples who snore or mouth-breathe at night, friends managing breathlessness or asthma nd anyone who wants support while building healthier breathing habits

Each of you receives your own breathing assessment and personalised plan — because everyone has a unique breathing 'fingerprint'.

Type “BREATHE” in the comments if you are interested, and I'll DM you.

Hi Everyone,

I’m starting a new 4-week block of beginner-friendly group breath coaching every Monday at 7pm, starting on 26th January at the Dell Farquharson Community Centre, Dunfermline.

These sessions are ideal if you’re new to breathwork and want a supportive, structured way to improve your breathing. Working in a small, consistent group allows us to build week by week without pressure.

The group will have a maximum of 6 people and the cost will be £56 for the block (£14 per session).

If you’d like to join or have any questions, just send me a message to [email protected] 😊

I’m delighted to share this lovely testimonial from Fiona, who recently worked with me on her breathwork ahead of the GB Ice Swim Championships — a great example of how breathing properly can support calmness (both mentally and physically) and boost exercise performance.
“I’d like to thank James for all his breathwork coaching in the lead-up to the GB Ice Swim Championship.�At 65, it’s easy to feel anxious about racing in such cold conditions — and at speed. I was also struggling with my sleep.
James coached me through soft, deep nasal breathing, listening to my breath, and gradually increasing my breath holds. I practised these techniques before bed and again in the changing room before my race. They helped me stay calm, focused, and brought my blood pressure down.
I went on to win my age category and achieved a personal best of 2 minutes 39 seconds.�James is a super coach with a gentle, understanding approach.”