Functional breathing is the gold standard of healthy breathing: nasal inhalation and exhalation, diaphragmatic (belly) engagement, natural rhythm (12-18 breaths per minute at rest), full oxygen absorption, and CO2 regulation. Functional breathing happens automatically—you don't think about it—and signals safety to your nervous system.
Dysfunctional breathing includes mouth breathing, shallow chest-only breathing, rapid rates, irregular patterns, and breath-holding. These patterns signal danger and activate stress responses. The shift from dysfunctional to functional breathing is among the highest-impact changes you can make for nervous system health and anxiety reduction.
Achieving functional breathing involves awareness and practice: consciously breathe nasally, engage your diaphragm, slow your pace, and develop awareness. Within weeks, functional patterns become automatic. This is the foundation of all breathing practice—before advanced techniques, establish functional baseline breathing.