The Disconnect Between Mind and Body
Introduction: You eat well. You exercise. You practice mindfulness. And yet, you still feel drained, wired at night, and exhausted during the day. If this sounds familiar, you're not alone.
Many women in midlife are doing all the right things but still feel off. Anxiety lingers, sleep is inconsistent, and stress feels impossible to shake. The common assumption? That the mind is the problem, and the solution is to "think more positively" or "manage stress better."
But here's the truth: you can’t outthink a nervous system that’s stuck in overdrive or the "emergency mode."
When the body is dysregulated, the mind follows. The missing piece in all of this and low hanging fruit? Breathwork. Your breathing patterns dictate how much energy you have, how well you sleep, and how resilient you feel every single day. Restoring functional breathing can be the key to breaking free from stress, exhaustion, and poor sleep.
Table of Contents
Introduction: The Disconnect Between Mind and Body
Why You Can’t Outthink a Nervous System in Overdrive
The Science of Breath and Nervous System Regulation
The BOLT Score: A Simple Test to Assess Your Breathing
How Dysfunctional Breathing Steals Your Energy
The Breathwork Secret That Transforms Sleep & Stress
How to Retrain Your Breathing for Lasting Change
Conclusion: The Path to Mind-Body Unity
Why You Can’t Outthink a Nervous System in Overdrive
Have you ever noticed that no matter how many times you tell yourself to calm down, your body still feels tense? Or that even when you’re exhausted, your brain won’t stop racing at night?
That’s because the nervous system doesn’t respond to thoughts alone—it responds to physiological signals. If your breathing is rapid, shallow, or through your mouth, your brain interprets this as a sign of danger. Your body then releases stress hormones, keeping you stuck in fight-or-flight mode.
Trying to "think" your way out of stress while your body is locked in a survival response is like trying to drive with the brakes on. You need to address the root cause: your breath.
The Science of Breath and Nervous System Regulation
Breathing isn’t just about oxygen—it’s about communication. Every breath sends messages to your nervous system, either signaling safety and relaxation or stress and urgency.
When you breathe lightly, deeply/diaphragmatically and slowly through your nose, you activate the parasympathetic nervous system (the "rest and digest" state). This helps lower heart rate, relax muscles, and create a sense of calm. On the other hand, fast, shallow, or mouth breathing keeps the body in a state of alertness and stress.
Signs your breathing may be keeping you stuck in stress mode:
✅ Frequent sighing or yawning
✅ Feeling out of breath even when at rest
✅ Poor sleep quality
✅ Waking up with a dry mouth
✅ Difficulty focusing or feeling foggy
.
The BOLT Score: A Simple Test to Assess Your Breathing
Want to know if your breathing is working for or against you? Take the BOLT (Body Oxygen Level Test) Score:
Take a normal breath in through your nose, then a normal breath out.
Hold your breath and time how many seconds pass before you feel the first natural urge to breathe.
Release your breath and resume normal breathing.
What your BOLT Score means:
>25 seconds – Optimal breathing function
15-25 seconds – Some dysfunction; room for improvement
<15 seconds – Likely experiencing chronic stress and inefficient breathing
If your BOLT score is low, it’s a strong indicator that your breathing is keeping you stuck in fatigue, stress, and poor sleep. The good news? You can retrain it.
How Dysfunctional Breathing Steals Your Energy
Breathwork is often overlooked as a tool for energy management, but the way you breathe determines how efficiently your body produces energy.
When you breathe dysfunctionally (too fast, too shallow, or through your mouth), less oxygen gets delivered to your cells. This means:
🚫 Poor energy production
🚫 Increased fatigue
🚫 Higher stress levels
🚫 Poor recovery from exercise
The key to reversing this isn’t just breathing more—it’s breathing better. And that starts with retraining your breathing patterns.
The Breathwork Secret That Transforms Sleep & Stress
If you struggle with energy, sleep, or anxiety, there’s one simple shift you can make today that will help:
Breathe through your nose—day and night.
Nasal breathing filters, warms, and humidifies air, improving oxygen delivery. It also increases nitric oxide production, which enhances circulation and calms the nervous system.
Try this quick breathwork practice before bed:
Breathe in through your nose for 3 seconds.
Exhale gently for 4 seconds.
Pause for 2 seconds before inhaling again.
Repeat for 5 minutes.
This simple practice slows your breathing rate, signals safety to your brain, and prepares your body for deep, restful sleep.
How to Retrain Your Breathing for Lasting Change
Changing your breathing isn’t about doing breathwork once—it’s about restoring functional breathing patterns 24/7.
Here’s how to get started:
✅ Nasal breathing only – Keep your mouth closed, even during exercise.
✅ Slow your breathing – Aim for 5-6 breaths per minute when relaxed.
✅ Improve your BOLT score – The higher it gets, the better your resilience.
Breathwork isn’t just another wellness trend—it’s the foundation for how your body and mind function every single day. there's nothing 'NEW' about it and its the reason it has a place in so many ancient traditions and practices.
Conclusion: The Path to Mind-Body Unity
The missing link to better energy, sleep, and resilience isn’t just more rest, better nutrition, or stress management—it’s breathing in a way that signals safety to your body.
When you retrain your breath, you restore mind-body unity. Your nervous system finally feels safe, your energy improves, and your sleep becomes deep and restorative.
If you’re ready to experience this shift, take your BOLT score and email or DM me on social media and tell me your number an dhow you're feeling and then set up your free strategy call.
I also run regular free trainings that you can sign up for by being on my email list.