Breath Work's role in Health with Jessica Dibb
What if something as simple as your breath could calm stress, boost focus, and even support long-term health?
It sounds almost too simple—but breathwork is one of the most powerful, accessible tools for wellbeing. For centuries, different traditions have described breath as the bridge between body and mind, and now modern research is catching up, showing just how much it impacts emotional balance, resilience, and even longevity.
Today’s guest, Jessica Dibb, has spent years weaving together this ancient wisdom and modern science. She is the founder and director of Inspiration Consciousness School, and hosts a variety of workshops specializing in psychotherapy and breathwork both nationally and internationally. As a psychospiritual educator and breathwork facilitator, she has seen firsthand how something as small as a few conscious breaths can reset the nervous system, bring calm in the middle of chaos, and even spark lasting changes in health.
In this episode, she shares the healing science of breathwork—why it matters, how it works, and simple daily practices anyone can start using to shift their state and strengthen their wellbeing.
The Healing Science of Breathwork
Breathing is one of those things everyone does without thinking about it, which is probably why it doesn’t get talked about much when it comes to health. It just feels way too automatic. Of course, everyone knows life stops without breath, but honestly, there’s so much more to it than just survival. Both ancient wisdom and modern science are pretty clear—breathing is a direct pathway to wellbeing, balance, and even longevity.
For centuries, breath has been described as this doorway to love, vitality, and consciousness—the creative life force flowing through the body. And now, research actually backs that up. Brain scans show that when people breathe consciously, the neocortex, brainstem, and limbic system all sync together in what’s called neural coherence. And the result? Better brain function and more emotional balance.
One of the most eye-opening findings comes from the Framingham study, which is the classic research on health and longevity. It suggests that respiratory health might actually be the single strongest predictor of how long and how well people live. Basically, the way someone breathes can shape the way they live.
That said, breathing well isn’t always easy. A lot of people carry tension in their chest or ribs, often from stress or emotions they haven’t processed, and that can make deep breaths feel kind of stuck. I went through that myself—every time I tried to take a full breath, it felt blocked. But here’s the thing: practice really changes everything. Even just five minutes of breathwork a day can bring noticeable shifts in a matter of weeks. Over time, the body softens, opens up, and breathing starts to feel more natural, even restorative.
The ripple effects are honestly amazing. Conscious breathing touches almost every system in the body. With regular practice, the nervous system finds its balance again, adrenaline and cortisol settle down, and that tired-but-wired feeling fades. Instead of spiraling into stress mode, breath creates calm and steadiness, even in the middle of chaos.
And the best part? It’s so practical. A few mindful breaths can ease fatigue, sharpen focus, or bring calm right when it’s needed most. In medical settings and in everyday life, the impact is consistently remarkable.
Sure, breathing feels automatic, but when practiced with awareness, it becomes a kind of medicine—one that heals, strengthens, and steadies both body and mind in today’s busy world.
From Stress to Calm in Three Breaths
Most people move through the day barely noticing their breath. It just happens automatically, controlled by the brainstem, whether someone is awake or asleep. Honestly, the only time many people can recall taking a truly intentional breath is when a doctor tells them to during a lung exam.
But the moment breathing becomes conscious, everything shifts. Choosing to engage the breath on purpose activates higher parts of the brain beyond the brainstem, and right away it sparks changes in both the body and the mind. Stress, worry, and tension begin to ease as the nervous system recalibrates. That’s why the old advice to “just take a deep breath” in stressful moments really does work. It’s not just a cliché—it’s grounded in both ancient wisdom and modern neuroscience.
During her own medical training, Jessica Dibb saw how even the smallest breath practices could make a big difference. Originally working toward becoming a physician, she worked long hours and cared for patients in very challenging situations, both medically and socially. Before stepping into a difficult room, she developed the habit of pausing for three deep breaths. It was simple, but it shifted her whole state. She felt calmer, more centered, and better prepared for whatever was waiting on the other side of the door.
Science backs this up too. Research shows that even three intentional breaths can trigger measurable shifts in the body. Brainwave patterns change, oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the blood rebalance, and that stress-driven tendency to over-breathe starts to normalize. This helps prevent the body from slipping into hyperventilation or reactive stress responses.
Conscious breathing also boosts circulation to large muscle groups, like the thighs and other muscles designed for quick action. That combination both energizes the body and relaxes the mind. Within just a few breaths, stress begins to melt away, energy rises, and the body is better equipped to respond with clarity instead of reactivity.
The takeaway couldn’t be simpler: conscious breathing doesn’t require hours of practice to make an impact. Even a few intentional breaths can reset the body and mind, bringing back calm, balance, and resilience in everyday life.
Stories of Transformation Through Breathwork
Breathwork is often seen as a simple relaxation tool, but it can reach much deeper—unlocking profound shifts in both physical and emotional health.
For years, a client struggled with chronic tonsillitis, showing up twice a year from childhood into early adulthood. During one intensive breathwork session—designed to access expanded states of awareness—the familiar soreness in the throat returned. Instead of another illness, buried emotions surfaced: the fear of not being able to speak during childhood arguments at home. With the guidance of the breathworker, those unsaid words were finally expressed. The tonsillitis amazingly never came back.
Another story comes from a young woman with a decade-long history of asthma. During breathwork, she revisited her first attack at 17, when she was placed in an ICU oxygen tent. Along with fear, she recalled the pain of feeling disconnected from her family, longing for comfort that never came. Releasing this memory shifted her breathing in a way she hadn’t felt in years. Within months, she no longer needed medication, and decades later, she remains free from asthma attacks.
Breathwork also supports mental health. For those with depression, even slightly deepening the breath can create movement where stagnation once dominated, thus helping people connect to sadness without being overwhelmed. For anxiety, Stanford neuroscientists Dr. Andrew Huberman and Dr. David Spiegel found a particular technique to be especially effective: inhale through the nose, take an extra “sip” of air, then exhale slowly with a sigh. Practiced for just five minutes a day over four weeks, it led to measurable reductions in anxiety and improvements in mood.
Breathwork is more than oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange—it taps into the body’s natural capacity for healing and resilience. Whether easing chronic conditions or calming everyday stress, breath truly is medicine.
Breathwork as a Partner in Health
When it comes to things like anxiety or asthma, medication is usually the first go-to—and honestly, it’s super important. But here’s the thing: breathwork can sit right alongside traditional treatment and bring its own kind of support. The best part? There’s really no downside. At worst, it feels like a few minutes that don’t do much. At best, it helps calm anxiety, improves breathing, and makes everyday life feel more manageable.
The cool part is that it’s not about replacing medicine. Breathwork actually works with it. Some people keep using their inhalers or meds, but with consistent breathing practices, they notice their symptoms ease up and sometimes need less support overall. It’s really about optimization—helping the body and mind run at their best.
There are even specific techniques, like little “rescue” breaths, that can sometimes help during an asthma flare. Does it mean tossing out the inhaler? No, definitely not. But it may make symptoms less intense and recovery a little smoother.
Clinically, the effects show up fast. A lot of people with anxiety breathe super shallow, never letting air fully reach the bottom of the lungs. Nothing’s wrong with their lungs—it’s just habit. And for people in larger bodies, extra pressure around the chest and abdomen can make deep breathing harder, sometimes lowering oxygen levels. But even a few guided deep breaths can shift that almost instantly. Numbers on an oxygen monitor can literally bounce up within minutes.
So, yeah—breathwork doesn’t demand perfection, and it’s not here to replace medical care. But as a simple, safe, and ridiculously accessible tool, it’s kind of amazing. A few conscious breaths can settle stress, support the lungs, and remind us that sometimes the body already knows how to heal—it just needs a little help remembering.
Simple Daily Practices for Lasting Wellbeing
Breathwork is often described as “the medicine of the people.” It requires no prescription, no cost, and no special equipment. Once learned, it’s available anytime, anywhere. Just a few minutes of conscious breathing each day can improve mood, reduce anxiety, increase focus, and bring the body back into balance.
For those wanting to begin, seven minutes a day is a great place to start. Think of it like a daily vitamin for your lungs and nervous system.
Here are two simple ways to begin:
1. Free the rib cage and diaphragm.
Many people breathe shallowly, never fully engaging the diaphragm. To start loosening this area, place your fingers along the bottom of the rib cage and gently press inward. Notice if there is tension or tightness. As you take slow, deep breaths, gently massage the area. Over time, this practice helps the diaphragm move more freely.
When inhaling, allow the abdomen to expand—your belly should move outward as the diaphragm contracts downward. Place your hands on your rib cage and notice the expansion not only side-to-side, but also forward and backward. As you inhale, the chest rises last. On the exhale, the chest relaxes first, then the rib cage, and finally the belly. Practicing this sequence daily encourages deeper, fuller breathing.
2. Slow your breath for five to seven minutes.
Set aside a few minutes each day to simply breathe slowly and deeply. Inhale gently through the nose, letting the belly expand, and exhale either through the nose or a slightly open mouth. The key is to avoid force—effort belongs only on the inhale, while the exhale should spill out naturally.
This simple practice alone can shift the nervous system into a more regulated state. Over time, curiosity often grows: experimenting with equal-length inhales and exhales for balance, or shorter bursts of energizing breaths when focus or alertness is needed. But no matter how advanced the practice becomes, nothing substitutes for those daily minutes of slow, deep breathing.
Breathwork is accessible, safe, and deeply supportive of physical and emotional health. A few minutes a day may feel small, but its effects build over time, strengthening the body’s most essential rhythm.
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