Espresso breath: the 60-second breathwork technique for when you're running on empty
Flat, foggy and nowhere near bedtime? Espresso breath is a quick breathwork technique that wakes you up without another coffee. Here's how to do it and when to use it.
It's 3pm. You've been up since the small hours (or since a small person decided it was morning), the to-do list has somehow grown arms and legs rather than shrunk, and your brain feels like it's wading through porridge. There's still pick-up, dinner and possibly a work call to get through. Another coffee is tempting, but you know how that tends to go: wired, a bit jittery, and still tired underneath it all.
Most of the breathwork you'll come across online is about calming down, going slow, softening, and relaxing. And honestly, that's what a lot of us need a lot of the time. But sometimes you're not stressed – you're flat, depleted and running on fumes with hours of the day (and the to-do list) still to go. Telling a flat nervous system to relax further isn't going to help anyone, which is where energising breathwork comes in, and where espresso breath is my favourite place to start.
When I first came across espresso breath, I was like ‘oooh this is new - I like it’. I now use it mid-afternoon on a Tuesday when I’ve been staring at a blank Google Doc for too long and my brain seems to have gone on a wee holiday instead of producing words that make sense. A minute or two of espresso breaths and – boom – my brain is back in business.
Wait, what actually is espresso breath?
It's a short, sharp breathing pattern: two quick inhales through the nose, one straight after the other, followed by a smooth and firm sigh-like exhale through the mouth. That's it. It's called espresso breath because it's a small, quick hit of breath that picks you up off the floor, perks you up, and gives you that little boost needed to make it to the end of the day in just about one piece. Basically just like espresso, but without the jitters or inhibiting your sleep if you partake in one after 2pm.
It sits in what I like to think of as the energising family of breathwork techniques, which means it gently and intentionally switches on the sympathetic branch of your nervous system – the "go" side. This is the very same system that gets you moving before a run or a big presentation, but by activating it using the breath, it means your using it on purpose (this is key) and in tiny doses. Done in short bursts, it's a way of nudging yourself towards being more alert and more focused without tipping into overdrive.
Think of espress breath as a bit like coffee minus the crash, and it takes about a minute.
How to do espresso breath
Sit or stand tall, shoulders soft, jaw unclenched. Take a few natural breaths first so you can notice where you're starting from.
Take a sharp inhale through your nose.
Straight away, take a second, shorter inhale through your nose to top up your lungs.
Breathe out smoothly and fully through your mouth with a sigh of medium force (it’s not a long ahhhh like sigh but more like like very purposefully steaming up glass with your breath if you get me).
Repeat for 5 rounds to begin with. Once it feels comfortable, you can build up to 10, but best to go no further than that in one go.
Let your breathing return to normal and notice how you feel. A bit more awake? Clearer? A little lifted? Or just a bit more aware of your body? There’s no right or wrong way to feel here. Just notice and sit with whatever is present for you for a few moments. If there’s a sense of buzzing or aliveness, tune into that, knowing it’s something you yourself have created. No external tools necessary – just your breath).
Why only 5 to 10 rounds?
Because fast breathing changes your body's chemistry quicker than you might expect. Breathe quickly for too long and you blow off carbon dioxide faster than your body likes, which can leave you dizzy, tingly or lightheaded. Short and sweet keeps any shift mild and brief.
If you notice any of those sensations, stop, go back to gentle natural breathing and wait for it to pass. It's not you doing it wrong – it's just physiology, and it's the reason I always teach this one in small doses.
When to use espresso breath
That mid-afternoon slump, when focus and energy both nosedive.
First thing in the morning, to wake your body and brain up before you jump into all the doing for the day.
Before a creative task, a presentation or anything that needs you to be switched on.
In between meetings or tasks, as a quick reset.
Before a walk, a workout or any kind of movement, as a way of warming up and getting energy flowing.
This is a breathwork technique I’d definitely save for during the daytime. If you're after something to help you wind down, you want the opposite end of the toolkit, and extended exhales are a good place to start (I've written about those and other more relaxing breathwork techniques here).
Who should skip it or take it gently
Espresso breath is simple, but because it's an activating technique it isn't right for everyone. If you have a medical condition, it’s best to check with your GP before trying it, especially if any of the following apply: epilepsy or any seizure disorder, high blood pressure or a heart condition, pregnancy, asthma or other respiratory conditions, dizziness or vertigo, anxiety or panic attacks. Whatever your situation, the main thing to remember while doing this technique is that you're always allowed to stop and go back to natural breathing if it doesn’t feel supportive or comfortable for you.
Finish with grounding
After a few rounds of espresso breath, it can be really supportive to finish with something calming and grounding, like a minute or two of extended exhales or some slow, even breathing. None of this is undoing the energy you’ve generated – it’s just giving it somewhere to land and letting the nervous system ssettle. This is especially useful if you're someone who tends to get anxious easily.
To give you an example, when I shared this technique with 100 women as part of a 10-minute breathing break as Rebel Day, I followed it with some belly breathing – breathing slow breaths in and out through the nose, letting the belly rise and fall with each breath cycle. This helped the energy to settle and enabled the ladies to feel grounded after the activation of espresso breaths.
A quick note on being tired
Espresso breath is a lovely little tool for a flat afternoon but of course it has its limits. What it can't do is fix exhaustion that goes deeper. If you're running on empty week after week, that's your body asking for something bigger than a breathing technique: more rest, more support, more space. Breathwork can be part of that, but it never a bypass for it.
If you'd like to figure out which techniques actually suit your nervous system (some of us need waking up, many of us need calming down, and most of us need a bit of both depending on the day), that's exactly what we do in The Monthly Reset. You can book a free 20-minute connection call to chat about what's going on for you and see if it feels like a fit.
And if you've caught the breathwork bug and fancy learning how to guide others, my breathwork facilitator training goes much deeper into the techniques, the science and how to hold a space well.
In the meantime, grab my free Everyday Breathwork Bundle for six short guided audios you can turn to when you'd rather be talked through a practice than read about one.
Enjoy trying some espresso breaths!
