Feeling foggy in the morning, wired by bedtime, or emotionally drained for no clear reason? Before you reach for another supplement, coffee, or melatonin tablet – pause. Your breath may be the most underrated tool you have. You can use it to gently shift your nervous system, regulate your energy, and rebalance your hormones – all without needing fancy equipment or hours of your day. This post shares five simple, effective breath work routines for energy and hormonal balance – matched to different moments in your day.

You don’t need prior experience. Just a few minutes of consistent practice can begin to shift how your body feels and functions.

1. Morning Energiser: Stimulating Breath (Bellows or Sun Breath)

When to use it: Right after waking up or whenever you feel sluggish in the morning

After 6–8 hours of sleep, your cortisol is supposed to rise naturally to help you wake up. But if your sleep was poor, your circadian rhythm is off, or you feel emotionally drained, that rise can be sluggish – leaving you foggy, flat, and unfocused.

This energising breath kickstarts your nervous system and gently stimulates your brain and lungs. It’s one of the most effective breath work routines for energy and hormonal balance, especially if mornings feel slow and heavy.

How to do it:

• Sit tall with your spine straight.
• Inhale and exhale quickly through the nose – short, equal bursts – at 1 breath per second.
• Keep the motion steady and rhythmic. Your belly should actively move.
• Do 15–30 seconds to start. Rest. Repeat up to 3 rounds.

Important: Skip this breath if you’re pregnant or have high blood pressure.

Harvard Health notes that fast-paced breathing activates the sympathetic nervous system – your body’s natural wake-up signal.

2. Pre-Meal Grounding Breath: 4-4-6 Breath

When to use it: 1-2 minutes before meals

Digestion isn’t just about what you eat – it’s about how calm you are when you eat. If you eat in a state of rush or anxiety, your body stays in fight-or-flight mode, which reduces digestive enzymes and impairs nutrient absorption.

This short breath helps activate your parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) nervous system so you can truly receive your food.

How to do it:

• Inhale through your nose for 4 counts
• Hold for 4 counts
• Exhale through your mouth for 6 counts (longer exhale is key)
• Repeat for 1–2 minutes

This breath slows your heart rate and grounds your nervous system – a beautiful ritual before breakfast, lunch, or dinner. This one’s simple – and easy to skip – but as a breath work routine for energy and hormonal balance, it offers surprising support when it comes to easing into meals and regulating your blood sugar rhythm. Research highlights how extending the exhale has calming effects – useful not only before bed, but before meals too.

3. Afternoon Fatigue Rescue: Breath with Movement (Sunarms or Breath-of-Joy)

When to use it: During your 2-4 p.m. energy dip (instead of reaching for caffeine or sugar)

If you tend to hit a wall after lunch, this routine gently re-energises your body through dynamic breath and movement. It’s especially useful if you’ve been sitting at a desk, in traffic, or in meetings.

How to do it:

• Stand tall with arms at your sides
• Inhale and lift your arms overhead in a smooth arc
• Exhale as you slowly lower them back down
• Match the pace of the movement with your breath
• Repeat for 1-3 minutes, eyes open, ideally near natural light

Optional: Try “Breath of Joy” – three short inhales with arm swings and one big exhale with a forward fold (if energy allows).

A 2024 study in Frontiers in Psychology found that breath-focused movement increases oxygen delivery and improves mood – making it one of the more energising breath work routines for energy and hormonal balance.

4. Sleep Prep Breathing: 4-7-8 or Coherent Breathing

When to use it: 20–30 minutes before bed (or whenever you feel overstimulated)

Modern life keeps us overstimulated – screens, deadlines, late dinners – and often our bodies haven’t “landed” even by 10 p.m. If you’re wired but tired, sleep-prep breathwork helps shift you into a calmer state.

Two options:
Option A: 4-7-8 Breathing

• Inhale for 4 counts
• Hold for 7 counts
• Exhale for 8 counts
• Repeat 4-8 cycles

Option B: Coherent Breathing

• Inhale for 5 counts, exhale for 5 counts
• No breath holding; continue for 5–10 minutes

Both of these activate the vagus nerve and reduce heart rate variability, helping prepare your system for deep, uninterrupted sleep.

Dr. Weil recommends 4-7-8 breathing as a powerful anti-anxiety and sleep-inducing tool. This is one of the best nighttime breath work routines for energy and hormonal balance, especially for those who struggle with insomnia or stress-related sleep issues.

5. Hormone-Regulating Breath: Humming or Box Breathing

When to use it: Anytime you feel emotionally overwhelmed, anxious, or flat

Hormonal balance isn’t just about your ovaries or thyroid. Your nervous system – especially the vagus nerve – plays a key role in regulating hormones like cortisol, insulin, melatonin, and even estrogen and progesterone.

These two breath techniques work beautifully to rewire your stress response and support hormonal regulation:

A. Humming Breath (Bhramari)

• Inhale through the nose
• Exhale slowly while making a low humming sound
• Feel the vibration around your face and chest
• Do 5–7 rounds

B. Box Breathing (Used by Navy SEALs for focus and calm)

• Inhale for 4 counts
• Hold for 4 counts
• Exhale for 4 counts
• Hold for 4 counts
• Repeat for 2–4 minutes

A 2023 review in the Journal – Clinical Psychology found that slow breathing and humming stimulate the parasympathetic system, reduce cortisol, and improve emotional regulation.

These are gentle yet profound practices for anyone navigating fatigue, PCOS, perimenopause, or burnout.

Your Breath Has Always Been With You

When energy is low, emotions are high, or your hormones feel out of sync – remember: you don’t have to do something big.

You just have to breathe, intentionally.

These five breath work routines for energy and hormonal balance aren’t about intensity or perfection. They’re about restoring rhythm to a system that’s been pulled in too many directions.

Try one practice today – maybe the grounding breath before your next meal or a slow 4-7-8 breath before sleep. Repeat it tomorrow. Let it become a rhythm, not a task.

Your breath is free. It’s powerful. And it’s waiting for you to use it.