Blending science with seasonal relevance to support mindful beginnings.
The start of a new year is often marketed as a fresh start, full of motivation, big goals, and high expectations. But for many of us, it can also feel surprisingly heavy, not just psychologically, but physiologically.
That's because your nervous system doesn't magically reset when the clock strikes midnight. And for those of us in the northern hemisphere, it's Wintertime, which doesn't necessarily scream "productivity".
Let's explore what's going on under the hood and how breathwork can support your nervous system through this transitional time of year.
Why January Can Feel Stressful. Even When We're Excited
Our nervous system's number one job is survival, not productivity or transformation. So when faced with uncertainty, even positive uncertainty like setting ambitious goals or starting something new, the body often reacts with:
🔹 Heightened stress signals
🔹 Reduced capacity for emotional regulation
🔹 Disrupted energy and focus
This happens because how you breathe actually feeds information to your nervous system, and if your breath is shallow or irregular, it can inadvertently sustain stress signals in the body, telling your body that this new thing is threatening and should be treated with caution.
Try on the app
New Year Reset for Health, Kindness and Abundance with Jen (39mins)
Try This Session On The AppBreath and the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)
Breathwork matters because it directly interacts with the ANS, which is the system that governs fight-or-flight and rest-and-digest states.
Slow and controlled breathing engages the parasympathetic system, which signals safety and relaxation.
Rapid, shallow breathing favours sympathetic activation, linked to stress and hyperarousal.
This bottom-up pathway (body to brain) is why intentional breathing is such a profound tool: it communicates safety to the nervous system before the mind even needs to "decide" anything.
What the Research Says
Here are some key findings from scientific studies on breathwork and nervous system regulation:
1. Breathwork Reduces Stress and Anxiety
A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials found that breathwork practices were associated with significant reductions in self-reported stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, compared to non-breathwork controls. Effect sizes were small to moderate, indicating real, measurable benefits. 1
📄 Read it Here: Fincham et al., Effect of breathwork on stress and mental health: A meta-analysis of randomized-controlled trials — Scientific Reports 2
2. Brief Breathwork Practices Improve Mood
In a controlled study, brief daily breathwork exercises, like cyclic sighing and box breathing, led to greater improvements in mood and reductions in physiological arousal compared to mindfulness meditation. 3
📄 Read it Here: Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal — PubMed 4
3. Slow, Diaphragmatic Breathing Strengthens Parasympathetic Function
Narrative reviews of slow (≤6 breaths/min) nasal and diaphragmatic breathing show enhanced vagal tone, improved heart-rate variability (HRV), and decreases in cortisol and perceived stress, all markers of better nervous system regulation. 5
📄 Read it Here: A52 Breath Method: A Narrative Review of Breathwork for Mental Health and Stress Resilience — PubMed 6
Listen to this on the app
Life with Breath Podcast with Ed Harrold and Edward Dangerfield "Re-patterning the 3 diaphragms of breathing"
Listen On The AppWhy Breathwork Helps at the New Year
At the start of a year, we often operate under:
🔹 Internal pressure to accomplish goals
🔹 Comparison with others' progress
🔹 Exhaustion from holidays or life transitions
Our nervous system doesn't differentiate good stress from bad stress; it just registers perceived uncertainty and may default to survival priorities like alertness and vigilance.
It allows the body to move out of fight-or-flight reactivity and into regulation, which makes room for calm, clarity, and intention.
A Simple Breathwork Practice for January
Here's a short, research-aligned practice to try this month:
New Year Nervous System Reset (5 Minutes)
- Sit comfortably, shoulders relaxed.
- Inhale through your nose for 4 counts.
- Exhale through your mouth for 6 counts.
- Let your exhale be soft and full.
- Repeat for 3–5 minutes.
Why it works: Longer exhalations are tied to parasympathetic engagement and can help reduce the stress response.
Moonbird Breathing Device
The moonbird device is designed and made by hand in Antwerp, Belgium. Moonbird is an easy and effective way to destress and relax at home. All-natural and screen-free Tactile Guidance™ technology guides you to breathe at a slow rate and activate the natural relaxation system of the body. Perfect for some gentle, New Year's support as we start to feel into this new chapter.
Experience a clear impact in 30 days: sleep better, feel less stressed or anxious, or get your money back.
Shop MoonbirdTakeaway: Start the Year from the Inside Out
You don't need to start a year with pressure or intensity. What your body actually needs before setting goals is:
🔹 Regulation
🔹 Safety
🔹 Clarity
🔹 Nervous system support
Breathwork isn't about forcing motivation; it's about creating a nervous system state where motivation can arise naturally.
This is the real "fresh start" your body can feel.
Start the Year with Support, Not Pressure
If you're ready to experience what nervous system regulation actually feels like, not just read about it, breathwork is a powerful place to begin.
Inside the Source app, you'll find guided breathwork practices designed to:
🔹 Support stress regulation and emotional balance
🔹 Help you move out of overwhelm and into clarity
🔹 Meet you where you are, especially during seasonal transitions like the start of a new year
To support you through this reset, you're invited to download the app and try it free for 7 days.
There's no pressure to "do it perfectly." Just a few minutes a day of intentional breathing can help your body feel safe enough to change, grow, and move forward with more ease.
Download the App & Start Your Free TrialLet this year start from the inside out.
References
1. Fincham, G. W., Strauss, C., Montero-Marin, J., & Cavanagh, K. (2023). Effect of breathwork on stress and mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised-controlled trials. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 432. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36624160/
2. Fincham, G. W., Strauss, C., Montero-Marin, J., & Cavanagh, K. (2023). Effect of breathwork on stress and mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised-controlled trials. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 432. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-27247-y
3. Balban, M. Y., Neri, E., Kogon, M. M., Weed, L., Nouriani, B., Jo, B., Holl, G., Zeitzer, J. M., Spiegel, D., & Huberman, A. D. (2023). Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal. Cell Reports Medicine, 4(1), 100895. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36630953/
4. Balban, M. Y., Neri, E., Kogon, M. M., Weed, L., Nouriani, B., Jo, B., Holl, G., Zeitzer, J. M., Spiegel, D., & Huberman, A. D. (2023). Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal. Cell Reports Medicine, 4(1), 100895. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36630953/
5. Sevoz-Couche, C., & Laborde, S. (2025). A52 Breath Method: A narrative review of breathwork for mental health and stress resilience. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40792649/
6. Sevoz-Couche, C., & Laborde, S. (2025). A52 Breath Method: A narrative review of breathwork for mental health and stress resilience. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40792649/
