What I Know Now

Deep Breathing is Important

By C. Clark (edit by ChatGPT)

Introduction

The crispness of Fall always reminds me to slow down, to inhale deeply and let the cool air swirl through me like falling leaves. As the days shorten and the nights grow long and shadowed, I find myself turning inward—back to the lessons I didn’t realize I was learning when I was younger. One of the most powerful of those lessons was the gift of deep breathing. 🍁

Deep Breathing

Running and biking were constant companions of my youth. At Ft. Bragg, I seemed to run everywhere, chasing both freedom and speed. I was the second fastest girl in my grade and loved the rhythm of the relay race. But what stands out to me now, more than the medals or the memories, was the way I breathed at the end of each run. Back then, I called it “breathing hard.” Today, I understand it was something far more intentional: deep breathing. Words matter.

It makes me wonder—was it this breath, this mindful expansion of my lungs, that helped me thrive in those days? Looking back, I believe so.

Now I know deep breathing isn’t just something athletes stumble upon. It’s a practice, a kind of quiet magic available to us all. Research and experience alike show its power:

🍂 Helps ease anxiety 

🍂 Supports those with depression 

🍂 Brings clarity in moments of stress 

🍂 Sharpens focus 

🍂 Encourages restful sleep

Even though I no longer run across fields or speed down bike paths, I’ve found other ways to invite this magic into my life. Meditation. Tai Chi. Simple pauses in my day where I breathe deeply, as if I’m filling my lungs with autumn air and letting it steady me.

With the world feeling heavier and faster than ever, I know deep breathing is not just a tool, but a kind of lantern guiding me through the fog. As the seasons shift, I hold onto it the way we hold onto light in the darker months—steady, grounding, and essential.