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Hey there,
Quick question: As you're reading this, how are you breathing right now?
Is your chest lifting? Are your shoulders rising? Is your breath shallow and fast?
Most people don't use 30-40% of their lung capacity most of the time.
Breathing is often locked up by tight ribs, a weak diaphragm, stress breathing, and years of shallow chest-only breathing.
So far, you've tested hips, ankles, and shoulders.
Breathing is the function that ties it all together.
Today, we're testing how you breathe. Not how deeply you CAN breathe, but how you actually breathe throughout your day.
Let's go.
TEST 1: 360° Rib Expansion (Hand Check)
Before we start:
Here's what we're tracking today:
📌 If focusing on your breath makes you more anxious:
Some people find breath awareness calming. Others find it triggering.
If you're in the second group, skip these tests. Note "breath-focus increases anxiety" and move on.
There's no shame in this. Your nervous system responds differently. That's information too.
Also, we recommend checking the modification list first.
You’ll find it just below the 3rd test. We’ll wait!
All good? Let’s start with the 1st test.
What we’re testing: Can your ribs expand in all directions (front, sides, back)?
How to test:
Stand or sit comfortably. Place your hands on the sides of your ribcage (just below your armpits, fingers pointing forward).
Take a normal breath in. Can you feel your ribs pushing your hands OUT to the sides?
Now exhale completely. Did your ribs move back in?
Here's the real test:
Take a deep breath in and try to push your hands apart with your ribs, like your ribcage is expanding sideways.
Did your ribs push your hands outward? Or did only your chest lift up?
Now try the back: Stand with your back against a wall or lie on your bed. Take a deep breath and try to push your BACK ribs into the wall.
Can you feel pressure against the wall or bed? Or does only your chest/belly expand forward?
Track it:
E (Easy): You felt your ribs expand to the SIDES and BACK, not just front
T (Tight): Only your chest lifted, or you couldn't feel sideways/backward rib expansion
Quick check:
Did your shoulders rise up toward your ears? (You're using your neck, not your ribs)
Did only your belly push forward? (Belly breathing is good, but ribs should expand too)
TEST 2: Diaphragm Function (Belly Breathing)
Your diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle at the bottom of your ribcage.
When you inhale, it contracts downward. This pushes your belly out and allows your lungs to fill completely.
Why chest breathing is a problem:
When you breathe with your chest instead of your diaphragm, you're using your neck and shoulder muscles to breathe.
This keeps your nervous system in stress mode, creates neck and shoulder tension, and only fills the top third of your lungs.
Your diaphragm also stabilizes your spine and core. When it doesn't work, everything else compensates.
Now let's test if yours is working.
How to test:
Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat
One hand on chest, one hand on belly
Breathe normally for 5 breaths
Notice which hand moves more
Track it:
E (Easy): Belly hand moves significantly, chest hand barely moves
T (Tight): Chest hand moves more than belly, OR both move equally, OR belly pulls IN on inhale (paradoxical breathing)
What it reveals:
Chest-only breathing = stress pattern, tight upper body
Reverse breathing (belly in on inhale) = severe dysfunction
Diaphragm not engaging = ribs can't expand, core can't activate
Quick check:
After you test lying down, try this:
Sit up and place your hands the same way (one on your chest, one on your belly).
Breathe normally. Does the pattern change?
Most people breathe better lying down than sitting. If your diaphragm works when you're lying down but not when you're sitting, that tells you:
Posture is affecting your breathing
Tight core or rounded shoulders are restricting your diaphragm
You CAN breathe with your diaphragm, you just don't when you're upright
TEST 3: Breath Hold Capacity (Breathing Efficiency)
This tests how efficiently you're breathing, not lung capacity, but whether you're over-breathing or under-breathing.
When you breathe too much (rapid, shallow breaths), you exhale too much CO2. Your body becomes sensitive to it. The tiniest buildup triggers the urge to breathe.
Low CO2 tolerance = chronic over-breathing, often connected to stress, anxiety, or panic.
This test shows you how sensitive your body is to CO2.
How to test:
Sit comfortably. Breathe normally for 1 minute.
After a normal exhale (not a forced exhale, just breathe out naturally), hold your breath.
Start a timer.
Notice when you feel the FIRST urge to breathe. Not when you CAN'T hold anymore, just the first signal from your body saying "okay, time to breathe."
When you feel that first urge, check the timer.
Breathe normally again.
Track it:
E (Easy): 25+ seconds before first urge to breathe
T (Tight): Less than 20 seconds before first urge
Breath hold capacity: E ___ or T ___
Seconds: ___
⚠️ STOP if you feel:
Dizzy
Lightheaded
Panicky
Anxious
This test is not for everyone. If it triggers anxiety or panic, skip it entirely and note "unable to test, anxiety trigger."
Gif by we_are_hers on Giphy
Modifications’ list
If you have asthma, COPD, or respiratory conditions:
Skip Test 3 (breath hold). Holding your breath can trigger symptoms.
For Tests 1 & 2, note your results but don't try to change anything yet. Your breathing is medically managed; these tests show patterns, not problems to "fix."
If you have anxiety or panic disorder:
Tests 2 & 3 might trigger anxiety. Focusing on your breath can increase panic for some people.
If a test makes you feel anxious, stop immediately. Note "unable to test, anxiety trigger" and move on.
You're still part of this series. Your awareness that breath-focus triggers anxiety IS valuable information.
If you're pregnant:
Skip Test 3 (no breath holding during pregnancy).
Tests 1 & 2 are safe, but expect different results. Rib expansion changes as your belly grows. Belly breathing shifts. This is normal.
If you have chronic nasal congestion or allergies:
You might be a chronic mouth-breather due to physical blockage, not just habit.
Note "mouth-breather due to congestion" on your results. Your breathing pattern is affected by your anatomy; this isn't something to "fix" with breathing exercises alone.
Your results are still valuable data.
Brought To You By
Daily Breathing
🧡 Breathe better, feel better, live better.
In a world of constant noise and endless input, it's easy to lose touch with what's happening inside. We search for calm and clarity outside ourselves, forgetting the simplest tool we carry: our breath.
Daily Breathing started as guided breathing sessions shared with a small community. It grew into a global practice with 200,000+ people breathing together daily.
As the community grew, so did the ask for something structured and accessible, a way to bring these moments into everyday life.
Daily Breathing offers short, guided breathing sessions designed to gently support your nervous system.
No long or complex practices; just clarity, calm, and consistency.
Inside the app:
Short guided sessions for everyday moments
Emotion-based practices (choose what matches how you feel)
Visual breathing rhythms (easy to follow)
BOLT Test and session history to track patterns
Breathing lessons that explain the basics
Gentle reminders to support consistency
🔓 Early access opens soon!
Join early to explore a calm, high-quality breathing app shaped by years of practice and global community.
👉 Join Early Access [here] by leaving your email.
What Your Breathing Results Mean
You just gathered data. That's the goal for today.
But here's what to start noticing:
If Test 1 was Tight (ribs don't expand):
Your thoracic spine is probably restricted, too.
Tight ribs = tight spine. They move together.
This is often connected to:
Rounded shoulders
Forward head posture
Sitting at a desk all day
Tight chest muscles
If Test 2 was Tight (chest breathing only):
You're breathing with your neck and shoulders instead of your diaphragm.
This creates:
Chronic neck and shoulder tension
Stress signals to your nervous system (fight-or-flight mode)
Weak core (your diaphragm isn't stabilizing your spine)
Shallow breathing (only using the top third of your lungs)
That neck pain you've been carrying?
It might be because you're breathing with your neck.
If Test 3 was Tight (low breath-hold capacity):
You're over-breathing, breathing too much, too fast, too shallow.
This is often connected to:
Chronic stress or anxiety
Panic attacks
Poor sleep
Your body is hypersensitive to CO2 (triggers immediate "I need air" response)
If all 3 tests were Tight:
Full dysfunctional breathing pattern. Your ribs don't expand, your diaphragm doesn't work, and you're over-breathing.
This is both cause AND effect:
Tight ribs restrict your breathing
Poor breathing creates more tension
More tension restricts your ribs
It's a loop
The good news? Breathing is one of the fastest things to change.
Small improvements in breathing create big shifts in how you feel.
A Final Thought
Breathing is both automatic and controllable.
You've been breathing your entire life without giving it a thought. Your body knows how.
But stress, posture, injuries, and habits can change your breathing pattern over time, until shallow, chest-only breathing becomes your new normal.
These tests aren't about judgment. They're about awareness.
You can't change what you don't notice.
Now you notice.
And awareness is the first step.
With care,
The Yoga Daily Team
