17 Jun Sympathetic vs Parasympathetic: The Nervous System Battle in Your Body with Sachin Patel
Have you ever noticed how your breathing changes when you’re stressed? Maybe you catch yourself holding your breath during a tense conversation, or breathing rapidly when overwhelmed? What if I told you that this connection works both ways—and that changing how you breathe could be the key to managing midlife anxiety, improving your sleep, and even preventing cavities?
I recently sat down with metabolic health expert Sachin Patel to explore the fascinating world of breathwork and nervous system regulation and what we discuss might just change how you think about doing something you do 23,000 times every day without thinking about it.
What fascinated me most about this conversation is how something as fundamental as breathing connects to so many aspects of midlife health—from anxiety and sleep to dental health and immune function. We often look for complex solutions to our health challenges – but our breath is accessible 24/7, costs nothing, and can create immediate changes in how you feel.
The “Breath Language” Your Body Speaks
Sachin introduced me to a concept that opened my eyes, that is, breath as the “window into the nervous system.” Just as we read body language, we can read what he calls “breath language.” When someone is stressed, they naturally breathe through their mouth in short, shallow breaths. When they’re calm and relaxed, they breathe slowly and steadily through their nose. This isn’t just observation—it’s biology in action.
Your breath is literally the steering wheel of your nervous system. Just like you can drive unconsciously to familiar destinations, you can breathe unconsciously throughout your day. But when you grab that breath wheel and take conscious control, you get to choose how you want to feel.
The Two Sides of Your Nervous System
Understanding your autonomic nervous system is crucial for midlife wellness. Think of it as having two main settings:
Sympathetic (Think “S” for Stress): This is your fight-or-flight response. When activated, your blood sugar rises, blood pressure increases, heart rate accelerates, and your immune system takes a back seat. Your body is focused entirely on survival, not healing or repair.
Parasympathetic: This is your rest, digest, repair, and rejuvenate mode. Every goal you have—better sleep, improved digestion, enhanced focus, stronger immunity—happens when you’re in this state.
The problem? Most midlife women are stuck in sympathetic dominance due to chronic stress from family responsibilities, work demands, financial pressures, and the general overwhelm of modern life.
Why Your Breathing Patterns Matter More Than You Think
Here’s what many people don’t realize: when we experience trauma or are told to “stop crying” or “control your emotions”, we hold our breath and keep our diaphragm rigid. Over time, this creates trigger points in the diaphragm muscle, restricting its range of motion and making us habitually short and shallow breathers.
This pattern literally keeps us in a perpetual state of low-level stress. Our bodies interpret shallow breathing as a signal that we’re in danger, even when we’re simply checking email or watching TV. So when you’ve become a habitual shallow breather, you’re more on edge and stuck in fight or flight mode.
The good news? You can reverse this pattern through specific techniques and conscious breathing practices.
Movement and Emotional Release
Our issues truly are stored in our tissues. Trauma gets locked into our fascial system—that web-like structure connecting every cell in our body. This is why some people feel the need to move, shake, or exercise when stressed. Your body is intuitively trying to release stuck energy.
Intentional movement practices that include shaking, tapping, or even controlled emotional release through breathwork can help clear these stored patterns and reset your nervous system.
The Mouth Breathing Crisis No One Talks About
Did you know that 66% of people breathe through their mouth while sleeping? This seemingly innocent and harmless habit is actually the number one cause of cavities—not sugar consumption. What!! When you breathe through your mouth, it dries out your protective saliva, creating the perfect environment for bacteria to attack your teeth. But the problems don’t stop there. Mouth breathing also:
- Keeps you in a fight-or-flight state during sleep
- Increases cortisol levels
- Causes you to wake up more tired than when you went to bed
- Makes you more susceptible to upper respiratory infections
- Disrupts your sleep quality and recovery
Your nose, on the other hand, is designed to be your personal air filtration system. It pressurizes, temperature-regulates, moisturizes, and cleanses the air while producing nitric oxide—a powerful molecule that kills viruses and bacteria on contact. These are a few big reasons why it’s super important to breathe through your nose.
The Nitric Oxide Connection
Another reason is nitric oxide, which deserves special attention. This signaling molecule has three critical functions:
- Immune Protection: Kills viruses and bacteria on contact
- Cardiovascular Health: Relaxes blood vessels and lowers blood pressure
- Cognitive Function: Increases microcirculation to the brain, potentially protecting against vascular dementia
Breathing through your nose increases nitric oxide production sixfold, while humming increases it fifteen-fold. This explains why people who consistently breathe through their nose tend to get sick less often and have better cardiovascular health.
Breathwork for Nervous System Regulation
Despite how confusing it might sound or seem when you see it being talked about everywhere but no one really ever shows you HOW or WHAT to do lol – the beauty of breathwork is in its simplicity. You don’t need special equipment or a gym membership—just awareness and intention. Breathwork just means…intentionally breathing.
Here are some breathing tips from Sachel on breathing depending on how you want to feel:
For Calm and Coherence: Breathe in for 4-6 seconds, out for 4-6 seconds, through your nose. This puts you in an optimal state for creativity, problem-solving, and heart-brain coherence.
For Balance: Try alternate nostril breathing. Breathe in and out through one nostril, then switch to the other and breathe in and out. Continue to alternate each breath for 3-5 minutes to connect both brain hemispheres.
For Relaxation: Lengthen your exhale. Breathe in for 2 seconds, out for 4. Or in for 4, out for 6. Longer exhales activate your parasympathetic nervous system. You can also breathe in and out from just your left nostril to induce calmness and relaxation.
For Energy: If you need activation (but use sparingly), breathe in and out through your right nostril to increase sympathetic tone.
The Sleep and Recovery Connection
Quality sleep is where the magic happens for midlife women. If you’re waking up tired despite getting adequate hours, your breathing during sleep might be the culprit. Mouth taping or chin strapping can be game-changers for people who mouth-breathe during sleep. This simple intervention helps you maintain nose breathing throughout the night, leading to:
- Deeper, more restorative sleep
- Fewer middle-of-the-night bathroom trips
- Lower cortisol levels
- Better recovery and morning energy
- Reduced blood pressure
Breaking the Chronic Stress Cycle
For those of us who live in a more sympathetic-dominant state (and I’ll admit, I’m one of them), the key isn’t to completely change our personality. Instead, it’s about creating balance through intentional recovery practices.
If you know you’re going to have a high-stress day, make your sleep game absolutely rock-solid. Focus on your wind-down routine, optimize your breathing during rest periods, and be intentional about shifting into parasympathetic mode whenever possible.
- Raise Awareness: Throughout your day, simply notice how you’re breathing. Are you breathing through your nose or mouth? Fast or slow? Shallow or deep?
- Use the Anchor Method: Think of something you think about most during the day (for me, it’s my to-do list). Every time that thought comes up, check in with your breath.
- Practice Nose Breathing: Make a conscious effort to breathe through your nose as much as possible, especially during rest and sleep.
- Slow It Down: Work toward 4-6 breaths per minute instead of the typical 15-20. The slower you breathe, the more oxygen you actually absorb.
- Try Mouth Taping: If you suspect you mouth-breathe during sleep, experiment with gentle mouth taping or chin strapping to maintain nose breathing overnight.
✅ Get Sachin’s free breath work tools at breathworkwithsachin.com
The contents of the Midlife Conversations podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider. Some episodes of Midlife Conversations may be sponsored by products or services discussed during the show. The host may receive compensation for such advertisements or if you purchase products through affiliate links mentioned on this podcast.
