Breath is our most faithful companion—it is with us continuously and faithfully mirrors how we live. Healthy breathing instructor Martina Penová showed at a workshop that proper breathing can support both physical and mental health, and without any big “miracles.” She is clear: breath is not a substitute for treatment, but a powerful helper worth training every day.
Three principles of healthy breathing
The basics are nasal breathing, diaphragmatic breathing, and making use of the lungs’ vital capacity. The nose filters, humidifies, and slows the air, which naturally engages the diaphragm and spares the body from the stress response typical of mouth breathing. The diaphragm is not the “belly”—it is a muscular sheet at the level of the lower ribs; on inhalation the ribcage gently opens in all directions, and both the lower and upper parts of the chest work.
Keeping the inhale-to-exhale ratio simple is also useful. At ideal rest, the exhale is roughly one and a half to twice as long as the inhale; a 1:1 balance is still fine during an ordinary day. If the inhale is markedly longer than the exhale, the body may be tense and more prone to slip into hyperventilation. Lung vital capacity naturally declines with age and is also affected by respiratory diseases, obesity, and poor posture—another reason to train the breath deliberately.
Simple techniques and posture for every day
Start with the rule “slow and steady goes farther.” Try actively lengthening the exhale: breathe in naturally through the nose and exhale as quietly as possible through pursed lips; this calms the nervous system and reduces breathlessness. To synchronize body and mind, coherent breathing works well—inhaling for 4 seconds, exhaling for 4 seconds (if you tend to overdo the inhale, start shorter). When severely tired or anxious, a few cycles of quiet, gentle breaths also help—without effort and without holding.
Functional breathing benefits from sitting on the sit bones, relaxed shoulders, and, when standing, feet hip-width apart with knees slightly unlocked. A short warm-up will loosen the chest: raising the arms with side bends, circling the shoulders without overarching the back, and slowly “rolling” the spine down and up with arms hanging freely. For a boost, the resisted “s” exhale helps—strong, hissing exhalation after a nasal inhale, which activates the diaphragm and the core; if you have cardiovascular issues, practice with breaks. To strengthen the exhale, you can also count out loud repeatedly from 1 to 10 on a single exhale and then gently inhale through the nose—without lifting the shoulders.
