The Mel Robbins PodcastImprove Your Breathing for Better Health From #1 Breath Expert In The World | Mel Robbins Podcast
CHAPTERS
- 0:00 – 3:42
Mouth breathing wake-up call: why this episode matters
Mel sets up the episode with a personal confession—she’s been a lifelong mouth breather—and frames breathing as a foundational lever for health. She introduces the promise of the conversation: better focus, less pain, lower anxiety, and improved sleep through functional breathing.
- •Mouth breathing is common but not ideal
- •Breath as the “through line” of life and health
- •Big claim: breathing quality shapes life quality
- •Mel’s motivation after reading The Breathing Cure
- •What listeners can expect: practical coaching, not a lecture
- 3:42 – 4:18
What breathing is for: oxygen + food = energy
Patrick answers Mel’s “basic” question by grounding breathing in physiology: oxygen is required to convert food into usable energy. Breathing is positioned as a primary survival input alongside food and water.
- •Human survival inputs: food, water, air
- •Oxygen enables energy production from food
- •Breathing as a core biological function
- •Why it’s worth optimizing something we do constantly
- 4:18 – 6:24
How we’re supposed to breathe (and why most of us don’t)
Patrick explains that healthy breathing should be subtle and nearly undetectable: light, slow, and low. Modern lifestyle factors (stress, sedentary work, trauma, excessive talking) can shift breathing into dysfunctional patterns that become habitual.
- •Optimal breathing: nose-based, light, slow, low
- •Healthy breathing is smooth and quiet
- •Lifestyle and stressors can distort breathing patterns
- •Dysfunctional breathing often becomes a habit
- •Exercise breathing should still be relatively light for intensity
- 6:24 – 9:44
Nasal breathing benefits: oxygen uptake, delivery, and nitric oxide
Patrick lays out why the nose is the foundation of good breathing, citing multiple physiological advantages of nasal breathing over mouth breathing. He highlights oxygen uptake, CO₂’s role in oxygen delivery, and the protective effects of nitric oxide produced in the nasal passages.
- •Nose breathing increases oxygen uptake (~10%)
- •CO₂ helps oxygen release to tissues (Bohr effect concept)
- •Better oxygen delivery to muscles and the brain
- •Nitric oxide: antiviral/antibacterial, bronchodilator, improves lung function
- •Nasal breathing supports attention, memory, and spatial awareness
- 9:44 – 12:22
Health consequences of chronic mouth breathing (including kids)
The conversation expands from performance benefits to long-term health and developmental outcomes. Patrick connects nasal congestion and mouth breathing to snoring, sleep apnea risk, and downstream impacts on mental health and learning in children.
- •Stuffy nose increases likelihood of snoring/sleep apnea
- •Mouth breathing links to concentration and mental health impacts
- •Large child study: mouth breathing/snoring/apnea associated with increased special education needs risk
- •High prevalence of mouth breathing in children (reported range)
- •Breathing isn’t just a wellness trend—can be lifetime-impacting
- 12:22 – 15:48
Breath, brain oxygenation, and anxiety: the feedback loop
Patrick explains how insufficient oxygen delivery and dysfunctional breathing can increase brain excitability, making anxiety more likely. He cites the high prevalence of dysfunctional breathing patterns among people with anxiety/panic disorders and emphasizes that breathing both responds to—and drives—stress.
- •Low oxygen delivery can increase brain cell excitability
- •Dysfunctional breathing is common in anxiety/panic populations
- •Breathing changes with stress, but also shapes baseline stress resilience
- •Racing mind can be eased by changing physiology via breath
- •Breath as a practical tool when mindfulness feels hard
- 15:48 – 20:22
Exercise 1: small breath-holds to trigger calm (vagus nerve)
Patrick guides a simple protocol: normal nasal inhale/exhale, then a short breath-hold after exhale, repeated. He explains the mechanism—vagus nerve stimulation and acetylcholine release—while Mel reports immediate downshifting sensations.
- •Step-by-step: nasal inhale/exhale → pinch nose → 5-second hold
- •Repeat cycles with normal nasal breathing between rounds
- •Vagus nerve activation and heart-rate slowing
- •Brain interprets slowed heart rate as safety
- •Nitric oxide pooling during breath-hold and benefits on release
- 20:22 – 24:11
Exercise 2: nose-unblocking breath hold (and safety cautions)
Patrick teaches a stronger nose decongestion technique: breath-hold after exhale while nodding the head. He flags who should avoid it (panic disorder, pregnancy, cardiovascular issues) and Mel experiences rapid nasal opening, leading into discussion of real-world results and limited research follow-up.
- •Protocol: normal nasal inhale/exhale → pinch nose → hold while nodding
- •Aim for ~30 seconds (build up gently) and repeat several times
- •Caution groups: anxiety/panic, pregnancy, cardiovascular issues
- •Mechanism: slight stress response can open nasal passages
- •Mel’s immediate congestion relief; Patrick references a small pilot study
- 24:11 – 27:45
Making nose breathing the default: habit training and mouth taping
They shift from exercises to behavior change—how to stop reverting to mouth breathing. Patrick explains using education, gentle practice, and an elastic mouth tape as a daytime training tool (especially for kids) before progressing to sleep use once nasal breathing is comfortable.
- •Two-part change: understand why + practice gently
- •Tape as a reminder tool during wakefulness
- •Nose gets better the more you use it; mouth breathing worsens congestion cycle
- •Expect initial air hunger; reduce intensity to keep nasal breathing
- •“Train your body to do more with less” (especially during movement)
- 27:45 – 31:08
Why mouth breathing ramps stress: moisture loss and fast exhalation
Patrick details the downsides of mouth breathing: dehydration-related effects (dry mouth, dental issues) and a key nervous-system signal—fast exhalations promote fight-or-flight. Mel connects this to the ‘breath as a remote control’ idea: breathing patterns inform the brain’s threat detection.
- •Greater water loss with mouth exhaling; dry mouth impacts dental health
- •Mouth breathing reduces resistance → faster breathing
- •Fast exhale is interpreted as stress; relaxation lives in the exhalation
- •Breathing patterns can prime your brain to “escape” situations
- •Concept: brain monitors breathing and adjusts arousal accordingly
- 31:08 – 32:05
How many breaths per minute—and why “big breaths” can backfire
Patrick gives typical resting breath rate ranges and challenges the belief that bigger breaths mean more oxygen. He explains the roles of tidal volume and CO₂: overbreathing can constrict blood vessels and reduce oxygen delivery, even if you feel like you’re getting “more air.”
- •Typical rest rate often cited around 12–14 breaths/min
- •Tidal volume matters as much as rate
- •Overbreathing can reduce oxygen delivery via CO₂ loss
- •Big, mouth-driven breaths promote upper-chest tension
- •Goal: efficient, quiet, diaphragmatic nasal breathing
- 32:05 – 33:44
Coaching a ‘proper big breath’: ribcage-guided diaphragmatic breathing
Mel describes how big breaths feel tight and shallow for her, and Patrick reframes “deep breathing” as low, diaphragmatic breathing done through the nose. He teaches a tactile method: hands on the lower ribs to guide sideways expansion and contraction, avoiding forced belly pumping.
- •Hands on lower ribs to guide breath mechanics
- •Inhale: ribs move outward; exhale: ribs move inward
- •Nasal breathing supports better diaphragm recruitment
- •Avoid “pushing/pulling” the belly independent of real breathing
- •Diaphragm also supports spinal stability; link to back pain discussions
- 33:44 – 45:07
Downshifting fast: 5-in/5-out pacing, longer exhales, and everyday use
Patrick introduces an ideal relaxation pace (roughly 4.5–6.5 breaths/min) and demonstrates 5 seconds in, 5 seconds out as a practice. He emphasizes gradual downshifts for people who breathe faster and reiterates the main rule: exhale should be longer than inhale to promote calm.
- •Relaxation breathing target: ~4.5–6.5 breaths/min
- •Guided pacing example: 5 seconds in, 5 seconds out
- •For high breathers, reduce rate gradually (e.g., in 2/out 3 → in 3/out 5)
- •Exhale should be 1.5–2x the inhale during rest
- •Use discreetly before stressful moments (meetings, high pressure situations)
- 45:07 – 57:13
Breathing, presence, and sleep: snoring mechanics and sleep apnea support
Patrick connects daytime breathing to sleep quality, showing how mouth closure can stop mouth snoring and soft nasal breathing reduces nasal snoring. They discuss insomnia mechanisms (fast breathing arousing the brain) and practical sleep downregulation, then move into sleep apnea definitions, risks, and why mouth taping must be appropriate (allowing mouth puffing for some).
- •Mouth closed stops mouth snoring; soft nasal breathing reduces nasal snoring
- •Fast breathing during sleep can trigger arousals and insomnia
- •Pre-sleep practice: soften breathing, slightly under-breathe to signal safety
- •Sleep apnea basics: apnea vs hypopnea; stress on cardiovascular system
- •Mouth closure can reduce mild OSA severity; taping must be safe and allow mouth puffing for some
