Most people breathe incorrectly without realizing it — using their mouth instead of nose, chest instead of diaphragm, and at rates far above the physiological optimum. These dysfunctional patterns develop from chronic stress, sedentary lifestyles, and poor postural habits, and they silently undermine health, energy, sleep, and cognitive function. Correct breathing is not complex, but it does require awareness and deliberate retraining to undo years of unconscious bad habits.
The three pillars of correct breathing are: nasal (breathe through your nose at all times except intense exercise), diaphragmatic (your belly should expand on inhale, not your chest), and slow (6-8 breaths per minute at rest, not the 12-20 most people default to). These three corrections alone — nasal, diaphragmatic, slow — deliver the vast majority of breathwork's health benefits. Every advanced breathing technique builds upon this foundation.
Correcting your breathing is a progressive process. Start by simply noticing: are you breathing through your mouth or nose right now? Is your chest moving or your belly? How many breaths per minute? This awareness is the first step. Then, set reminders throughout the day to check in and correct — close your mouth, breathe through your nose, slow down. Within 2-4 weeks of consistent attention, correct breathing begins to become your automatic default.