Burnout is not a badge of honour, but workplaces are yet to catch up to how best to support their people by creating a sustainable high performance culture.

Sustainable performance comes from a regulated nervous system – demonstrated when leaders and employees are able to show up grounded, stable and feeling internally safe.

What Is Breathwork and Why It Works

Breathwork is the intentional use of breathing techniques to influence the nervous system. In many workplaces, individuals operate from a constant state of fight-or-flight or chronic stress. Over time, this impacts focus, productivity, emotional regulation and overall health.

Breathwork supports a shift from this stress-driven state (sympathetic activation) into a calmer, more restorative state (parasympathetic activation, also referred to as “rest and digest”).

When individuals are able to respond from a regulated, grounded state – rather than reacting from overwhelm – they experience clearer thinking, steadier emotions, stronger interpersonal skills and more effective decision-making.

Measurable Benefits for Performance and Wellbeing

There are three key, measurable outcomes of breathwork that directly support high performance, long-term health, reduced sick leave and improved workplace satisfaction.

Breathwork has been shown to:

*Improve heart rate variability (HRV)

*Increase vagal tone

*Build resilience to stress

Which reduces the risk of stress, anxiety and depression (the leading contributors to mental-health-related time off work). The number of serious mental health claims in Australia has increased by 161% in the last decade (Safework)… meaning, our way of working is causing harm.

Why I recommend breathwork – it is highly accessible. It can be used anytime, anywhere, by anyone. Once individuals have the knowledge and tools, it becomes a free, lifelong resource for self-regulation and wellbeing.

If you’re looking to improve wellbeing and performance in the workplace, please email me about functional breathwork workshops (educational and immersive), team building days and sessions designed for leaders.