I’ve been waiting to share this with you
Sent by Breath Curriculum | Nov 5, 2026
This week, I have something very exciting for you to share!
But first, let’s do one round of a breathing pattern that can slow down your heart rate within just one breath. Yes, your breathing can do that.
Follow the circle: breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds, then let the air seep out through pursed lips like you’re breathing through a straw.
Notice how long you can make your exhale.
Slow your heart with your breath
This is one of the simplest ways to slow your heart only using your breathing. It works thanks to something called respiratory sinus arrhythmia. It sounds complicated, but it is very simple: every time you inhale, your heart tends to speed up, and every time you exhale, your heart slows down. So by making your exhales longer than your inhales, you are giving more time for your heart to slow down.
A lower heart rate can be helpful in different situations. One interesting example was featured in the new breathwork documentary Air Hunger.
Air Hunger | The Breathwork Movie
Director Bob van de Gronde spent three years following athletes, scientists, and veterans as they paid attention to their breathing.
The benefits that Dutch kickboxer Levi Rigters, featured in the documentary, saw from adding simple breathing techniques to his recovery were eye-opening. It’s the kind of edge people look for everywhere else, while completely forgetting to consider their breathing.
It used to take Rigters two days to fully recover after a hard training session. Then he started doing breathing sessions with his coach after each heavy session, and after that, one night’s sleep was enough. He woke up the next morning feeling recovered and ready to go again.
Breathing for endurance
Building breathing into training and recovery is a big part of my one-on-one work with athletes, like Adam, whom I worked with while he was training for the Moab 240, a 386 km ultramarathon.
Summary
Lengthen your exhales to slow your heart rate. Try the Breathing Library (free for a month) and learn how-to.
If you are curious about breathing, the Air Hunger movie is a must-see.
Up your own game: If you’re curious about what your breathing could do for your own training, recovery, or stress, book a free 15-minute consultation with me here.
Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. I would love to hear from you.
Best,
Elsa
Connect on Instagram @breathcurriculum
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