Nature x Breath: why I breathe outdoors

← Back to Blog

There's a morning I keep returning to in my mind. I was standing on a trail above the Douro Valley, the mist still settled in the valley below, and I became aware — really aware — of my breath for the first time in weeks. Not because I was practising. Simply because I was outside, in the quiet, with nothing demanding my attention.

Something softened. The breath slowed without effort. I felt it in my body in a way that rarely happens at a desk or on a mat indoors. That morning planted a seed that has shaped everything about how I teach breathwork now.

Why we evolved to breathe outdoors

For the vast majority of human history, we lived outside. We breathed air that moved, that carried the scent of soil and water and green things growing. Our nervous systems were shaped in relationship with the natural world — its rhythms, its sounds, its light.

Today, most of us spend approximately 90% of our time indoors, breathing air that is often recirculated, climate-controlled, and laden with indoor pollutants. A 2022 report from the European Environment Agency noted that indoor air quality in European buildings frequently exceeds outdoor pollution levels for particulate matter and volatile organic compounds.

This matters for breathwork. The air we breathe is not just fuel — it's information to the nervous system.

The science of nature on the nervous system

Research into the physiological effects of time in nature is now extensive. The Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) has been studied rigorously, with compelling results. A landmark study by Li et al., published in the International Journal of Immunopathology and Pharmacology, found that two days of forest bathing significantly increased natural killer (NK) cell activity — a measure of immune function — and reduced urinary adrenaline and noradrenaline levels, indicating lower sympathetic nervous system activation.

A meta-analysis of 143 studies published in Environmental Research in 2018 found that exposure to green space was associated with significant reductions in cortisol (the primary stress hormone), heart rate, blood pressure, and self-reported stress.

What these studies consistently describe is a shift from sympathetic (fight-or-flight) to parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) nervous system dominance — exactly what breathwork aims to create. When we enter natural environments, the body begins this shift without us having to do anything intentional.

How nature changes the breath

Natural environments slow the breath through several mechanisms:

• Reduced cognitive load: Natural settings require less directed attention than urban or indoor environments, lowering mental arousal and naturally calming breathing patterns.
• Phytoncides: Trees and plants release aromatic compounds called phytoncides (particularly in forests). Inhalation of these compounds has been shown to reduce cortisol and blood pressure in multiple studies.
• Negative air ions: Moving water (rivers, waterfalls, the sea) and certain forest environments are rich in negative air ions, which have been associated with improved mood and reduced anxiety in multiple clinical trials.
• Acoustic environment: Natural soundscapes — birdsong, water, wind — have been shown to reduce physiological stress markers and perceived anxiety compared to urban noise.

Breathwork outdoors: what changes

When I take breathing practice outside, several things shift consistently — both in my own experience and in the people I guide. The body is more relaxed to begin with, so breath holds feel more comfortable. The ambient sounds and the movement of air naturally encourage slower breathing. And there is a quality of presence — of being genuinely in a place — that indoor practice doesn't always achieve.

There is also something about breathing air that has been breathed by trees. Forests are net oxygen producers; the air near living plants and near water tends to have higher oxygen content and more of the particulates and compounds that the respiratory system was designed to process.

A simple outdoor practice to try

Find somewhere green — a park, a riverside, a forest path, even a quiet garden. Remove your shoes if you feel comfortable doing so. Stand or sit.

Close your mouth. Take three slow nasal breaths, letting the exhale be longer than the inhale. Then simply stop directing the breath and allow it to move naturally through your nose. Notice the air temperature. Notice the sounds around you. Let your gaze be soft — not focused on any one thing.

Stay for ten minutes. Notice what has changed by the end.

This isn't a technique. It's a return. And in my experience, it is some of the most powerful breathwork there is.