A Morning Reset: My 3-Minute Breath Ritual

Before I get up, reach for my phone, or make my morning tea (I’m one of those people who don't like coffee), I give myself three minutes to just breathe.

I do this every morning - no exceptions...

Eyes closed. Inhale through the nose - slow and full - for 4 seconds. Hold for 4. Exhale through the mouth - soft and steady - for 6 seconds. Pause again for 4.

That’s one round. Do this 10 times (10 x 4-4-6-4 which makes 3 minutes). No timer needed; just counting, feeling, and laying still.

It’s simple, yet very effective, and proven. Just three minutes of slow, conscious breathing activates your parasympathetic nervous system - lowering heart rate, easing cortisol, and grounding your mind.

Ten breaths are enough to remind your body that you’re safe, alive, and here. And because it’s so effective, you can do it anytime you need a reset; before a difficult meeting, after one, whilst on the train, or simply when life feels a little too full.

Every morning when I do this, I simply count, but if you’d like to think of something, you could say a little mantra in your head, like:

“Calm is not found, it’s remembered.”