Imagine this: you’re on a flight from New York to Los Angeles, and the pilot announces they’re veering just one degree north. It seems minor, but by the time you reach the West Coast, you’re landing in San Francisco instead of L.A. Small adjustments make big differences—and the same applies to how you breathe.

Why Breathing Matters for Leaders

Breathing is something we do about 25,000 times a day, more than any other activity. Yet, most of us do it mindlessly. For K12 leaders who navigate complex demands, your breathing patterns directly influence your ability to stay calm, focused, and resilient under pressure.

At first glance, this might seem out of left field. Really? Breathing? Isn’t leadership about strategy, communication, and vision? Of course, it is—but if your breathing is shallow, too fast, or done out of sync, everything else suffers. It’s the hidden lever that can significantly impact how you handle stress, make decisions, and connect with your other people.

Here’s the catch: if you’re breathing too fast, too shallow, or primarily through your mouth, you may be inadvertently signaling stress to your body, which can lead to:

• Brain fog and fatigue due to reduced oxygen absorption.
• Heightened anxiety from an imbalanced oxygen-carbon dioxide exchange.
• Poor decision-making during critical moments.

On the other hand, intentional nasal breathing not only improves oxygen uptake but also activates your parasympathetic nervous system—the “rest and digest” mode that helps you approach challenges with clarity and composure.

The Science of Resilient Breathing

On a recent podcast, James Nestor, author of Breath, shared how mastering our breathing can unlock remarkable benefits. Research shows:

1. Breathing Slower Improves Resilience
   Slowing your breath to just six cycles per minute—five seconds in and five seconds out—has been shown to optimize your heart-rate variability (HRV), a key biomarker for resilience. A higher HRV indicates your body’s ability to adapt to stress, making it easier to respond to challenges with confidence.
2. Nasal Breathing Delivers 20% More Oxygen
   Breathing through your nose filters, humidifies, and slows the air, allowing your lungs to absorb oxygen more efficiently. This is why nasal breathing is central to many practices like yoga and mindfulness—it literally fuels better performance.
3. Controlled Breathing Calms the Nervous System
   Whether in a tense meeting or dealing with a difficult parent, slowing your breath helps downshift from a fight-or-flight response to a calm, intentional state.

This is why breathing training is a key component of our Resilience Journey program for K12 leaders. Through biofeedback based on heart-rate variability, we help participants learn to control their breathing patterns, fostering a state of calm and resilience even in the most stressful situations.

How to Improve Your Breathing

Here’s the good news: improving your breathing is simple and doesn’t require any special equipment.

1. Notice Your Default Pattern

Take a moment to observe how you breathe throughout the day. Are you breathing through your nose or mouth? Is it shallow or deep? Awareness is the first step to improvement.

2. Shift to Slow, Rhythmic Breathing

Practice inhaling for five seconds and exhaling for five seconds. Do this for five minutes during a stressful moment, or make it a daily habit. This slow rhythm is ideal for improving heart-rate variability and resilience.

3. Use Biofeedback Tools

Biofeedback devices can give real-time insights into your HRV, helping you see how your breathing affects your stress levels and resilience.

4. Take Breathing Breaks

Between meetings, take a moment to pause and focus on your breath. Apps like Calm or Headspace can guide you through these exercises.

Breathing: The Hidden Superpower of Great Leaders

It may seem unusual to connect leadership with breathing, but the science is clear: how you breathe impacts how you lead. Improving your breathing patterns is a small, manageable adjustment with exponentially positive outcomes.

As part of our Resilience Journey program, we delve deeper into breathing techniques and biofeedback training, equipping K12 leaders with practical tools to boost resilience and stay at their best. Because when you lead with resilience, you empower your teams—and yourself—to thrive.

Want to Learn These Techniques?

Download our SWBS Breathing Techniques Guide Sheet to access simple, science-backed exercises you can start today. This free resource includes:

• Step-by-step instructions for effective breathing techniques like Straw Breathing and 4-7-8 Breathing.
• Tips for teaching these techniques to your team or students.
• Insights into the connection between breathing and resilience.

Download the Guide Sheet Now

Take a moment right now: inhale deeply through your nose for five seconds, exhale for five seconds, and repeat. That small shift may just be the start of a better day—and better leadership.