Hi, I’m Nick Simcock, an English Language coach. I help Italians to unlock their English.

Take a deep breath! We use this phrase in English when we are about to face something challenging, exciting, maybe dangerous or frightening. So we take a deep breath with the idea of calming our nerves and making ourselves feel strong and confident.

I’ve known this phrase for as long as I can remember, but what’s the truth behind this common expression? Most of the time we don’t think about our breathing. We take it for granted like our heartbeat. It’s a natural process that doesn’t require any thought, it just happens by itself. 

But if you take the time to listen to your breathing you can learn a lot about yourself. According to Mindworks.org there are 8 breathing patterns that reveal the health state of body and mind. They include shallow, chest-only breathing, when you only use the very top of your lungs, which is a sign of stress. And also breath holding in moments of anxious expectation, such as when we check our email. But when our body and mind are in a state of health we breathe through the nostrils and deeply into the belly. Our breathing is relatively quiet, relaxed and patient.

I started to become really aware of my breathing first practising yoga, then when I began my journey into the world of freediving. Freediving or apnea is a pastime and sport where you emerge yourself underwater without an air tank and simply hold your breath for as long as you can. I’ll definitely do a podcast about my passion for freediving, but now back to the original question:

Does taking a deep breath make you calm, strong and confident? Yes without doubt, in an article on everydayhealth.com they list various benefits of deep breathing including lowering your blood pressure, managing symptoms of depression and anxiety, and helping to reduce tension headaches.

But don’t just take my word for it, try some deep breathing for yourself. Find a comfortable quiet space, you can lie down if you want, or simply sit in a comfy chair. Slowly breathe in through your nose and feel your stomach rise - gentle place one hand on your belly to feel this rising movement. Hold the breath for a second and then gently breathe out. Take 3 or 4 full, slow deep breaths. I normally breathe in for a count of 4, hold for a count of 2 and then breathe out for 4 or more, and hold for another count of 2, and then repeat. Just do what feels comfortable for you. You can find plenty of guides online. I do deep breathing every morning to prepare for my meditation, during the day if I need to de-stress, and in bed before falling asleep.

Remember also that whatever language you are speaking it’s essential that you have enough air passing through your vocal cords to make them vibrate. So take 3 or 4 deep breaths, find your calm centre, feel your strength, let go of fear and doubt and just say it and do it!

You can find out more about me on my website www.speakwithnick.it

Ciao for now!