Breathing may seem automatic, but experts say improving how you breathe can have significant benefits for both physical and mental wellbeing.

As a pelvic health physiotherapist, I spend a surprising amount of time teaching something we assume we’ve mastered: breathing. After all, you have been doing it since birth – no training required, right? Not quite.

In our busy, always-on world, many of us have drifted into shallow, upper-chest breathing without noticing. It mirrors stress – quick, tight and inefficient. The problem? Your body doesn’t just reflect your breathing patterns… it believes them.

Shallow, rapid breathing signals to your nervous system that something is wrong, keeping you in a low-level “fight or flight” state. Helpful if you are being chased by a lion, less so when you are in traffic or trying to sleep. Over time, this can lead to increased muscle tension, heightened pain sensitivity and even pelvic floor dysfunction.

The good news? Your breath is one of the most powerful tools to calm your system.

From a pelvic health perspective, breathing matters. Your diaphragm and pelvic floor work as a team – as you inhale, both lengthen; as you exhale, they recoil. If your breathing is restricted or chest-dominant, this rhythm is disrupted.

Two simple patterns can help: abdominal breathing and lateral costal (rib) breathing. Abdominal breathing encourages a gentle rise and fall of the tummy, reducing tension and promoting relaxation.

Lateral costal breathing expands the ribs outward – like an umbrella – improving lung capacity and restoring movement.

Both promote slower, deeper breathing, signalling safety to the nervous system and shifting the body into “rest and digest” mode. The result? Less tension, better pelvic floor support and often reduced pain.

Breathing is always available. You don’t need equipment, a gym membership or extra time. A few mindful breaths while waiting for the kettle to boil or sitting at your desk can make a difference.

So next time life feels overwhelming, remember: sometimes the simplest solutions are right under your nose.

Quite literally.

Salt Rock resident Tarryn Graham has a BSc in physiotherapy from Stellenbosch University, and has a special interest and further training in women’s health physiotherapy and sexual health. She has 15 years’ experience in women’s health and pelvic floor physiotherapy.