It’s the first Pause Here episode of 2026, aka the season of new planners, new goals, and the sudden urge to reinvent your entire personality. Instead, we explore a gentler option: start with a pause.

This episode explores the awkward space between “I want to…” and “I actually did” and why that gap isn’t a character flaw, it’s brain design. We unpack why change can feel hard even when you want it, how tiny micro-habits help you sneak past resistance, and how to hold to your habits when life gets chaotic, so one missed day doesn’t turn into a full exit.

New year energy, but with a nervous system included.

• Pyatak, E. A., Carandang, K., & Rice Collins, C. (2022). Optimizing occupations, habits, and routines for health and well-being with Lifestyle Redesign®: A synthesis and scoping review. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 76(5), 7605205050.
• Mann, T., De Ridder, D., & Fujita, K. (2013). Self-regulation of health behavior: Social psychological approaches to goal setting and goal striving. In M. Gellman & J. R. Turner (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine (pp. 1–15). Springer.
• Khusainova, S. (2025). Transform your life through effective habit formation. International Journal of Artificial Intelligence, 7(1), 45–58.
• Harvey, A. G., Callaway, C. A., Zieve, G. G., & Pruitt, L. D. (2022). Applying the science of habit formation to evidence-based psychological treatments for mental illness. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 17(3), 695–716.
• Francis, G. L., Duke, J. M., & Fujita, M. (2021). Goal setting to support mental wellness among adolescents with disabilities and co-occurring mental health needs. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 54(3), 189–198.
• Crossman, J. M. (2016). Planning, practising and prioritising wellness through an integrative behaviour change plan. Health Education Journal, 75(2), 156–168.
• Cook-Cottone, C. P. (2015). Mindfulness and yoga for self-regulation: A primer for mental health professionals. Springer Publishing Company.

As we close out the year (and our deep dive into the breathing patterns of the Pausing Point app) we finish with a rhythm that does something different. It doesn’t slow you down - it wakes you up!

In this final Pause Here episode of 2025, we explore Energise Breathing, a simple but powerful 4-2 pattern (inhale for four counts, exhale for two) designed to gently activate your nervous system without tipping into stress. Rooted in both ancient breath practices and modern neuroscience, Energise Breathing has been shown to boost clarity, improve heart-brain balance, and even support recovery from stress and PTSD. We explore why this pattern creates a rare state of calm activation - switched on but not scattered.

So, as the year winds down and a new one begins, take this rhythm with you - clear, steady, and ready for all the chaos yet to come!

• Zaccaro, A., Piarulli, A., Laurino, M., Garbella, E., Menicucci, D., Neri, B., Gemignani, A., & Piarulli, A. (2022). How breath-control can change your life: A systematic review on psychophysiological correlates of slow breathing. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 16, 814885.
• Walker, J., & Pacik, P. (2017). Controlled rhythmic yogic breathing as complementary treatment for PTSD in military veterans. Medical Acupuncture, 29(4), 239–246.
• Skopp, N. A., Smolenski, D. J., Edwards-Stewart, A., & Reger, G. M. (2025). A pilot study of trauma-sensitive yoga and Breathe2Relax among service members in an intensive outpatient program. Military Medicine, 190(12), 115–124
• Saygin, M., Gevonden, M., & de Geus, E. (2025). Assessment of cardiac vagal control in daily life: Approaches to control for respiratory effects on respiratory sinus arrhythmia. OSF Preprint.
• Noble, D. J., & Hochman, S. (2019). Hypothesis: Breathing rhythms and brain rhythms are linked for cognitive control. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 13, 971.
• Little, A. L. (2025). The A52 Breath Method: A narrative review of breathwork for mental health and stress resilience. Stress and Health.
• Lehrer, P. M., Vaschillo, E., & Vaschillo, B. (2003). Resonant frequency biofeedback training to increase cardiac variability: Rationale and manual for training. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 28(1), 1–11.
• Kim, S. H., Schneider, S. M., Bevans, M., Kravitz, L., Mermier, C., Qualls, C., Burge, M. R., & Burge, S. K. (2013). Mind-body practices for PTSD: Randomized controlled trial of mindfulness-based stretching and deep breathing exercise. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 98(7), 2984–2992
• Khalsa, S. S., & Lapidus, R. C. (2019). Can interoception improve emotional self-regulation? Biological Psychology, 144, 25–34.
• Jerath, R., Edry, J. W., Barnes, V. A., & Jerath, V. (2006). Physiology of long pranayamic breathing: Neural respiratory elements may provide a mechanism that explains how slow deep breathing shifts autonomic balance. Medical Hypotheses, 67(3), 566–571.
• Hourani, L., Williams, J., Forman-Hoffman, V., Lane, M. E., & Weimer, B. (2018). Effect of stress inoculation training with relaxation breathing on PTSD in the military. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 23(1), 71–84.
• Haller, N., Mitzinger, S., & Cramer, H. (2023). Integration of yoga breathing techniques in cognitive...

There’s a moment, right before sleep, when everything softens. Your breath slows, your thoughts quiet, and your body finally lets go. In this episode of Pause Here, we explore how to reach that state on purpose using one of the most powerful calming tools we have: the 4-7-8 Unwind breathing pattern.

You’ll learn why holding your breath (on purpose!) calms your heart, how a long exhale flips your vagus nerve’s “chill switch,” and why your body treats this rhythm like a built-in sleep aid. We trace its roots from ancient traditions to modern clinical research, and explore new studies showing its impact on sleep, stress, recovery, pain, and emotional regulation.

Side effects may include gentle yawns, softened shoulders, and mysteriously improved sleep.

• Zhang, C., & Zhu, F. (2025). Research on the effectiveness of golden light on sleep combined with 4-7-8 breathing technique. In Proceedings of the 2025 ACM International Conference on Biomedical Systems and Technologies (pp. 220–226). Association for Computing Machinery.
• Zahra, R. C., Dewi, E., & Marumpy, N. (2023). Foot reflexology and 4-7-8 breathing exercise as supporting therapy to reduce anxiety in ICU patients. Jurnal Berita Ilmu Keperawatan, 16(1), 45–53. Retrieved from
• Vierra, J., Boonla, O., & Prasertsri, P. (2022). Effects of sleep deprivation and slow breathing on heart rate variability and endothelial function. Physiological Reports, 10(8), e15389.
• Togo, E., Takami, M., & Ishigaki, K. (2024). Evaluation of autonomic nervous system function during sleep by mindful breathing using a tablet device. JMIR Nursing, 9(1), e56616.
• Shaw-Metz, J. L. (2023). The impact of brief breathing interventions on healthcare staff wellbeing: A pilot study. Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice, 31, 101580.
• Priasmoro, D. P., Asri, Y., & Maulina, R. (2025). Exploring 4-7-8 breathing for stress relief and improved quality of life in chronic and degenerative diseases. Proceedings of the International Conference on Science and Technology (ICISTECH 2025), 112–118. Retrieved from
• Javanmardi, N., Mohammadi, F., & Aghaei, A. (2024). Slow breathing and vagal activity: A systematic review. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 197, 102–114.
• Jerath, R., Beveridge, C., & Barnes, V. A. (2019). Self-regulation of breathing as an adjunctive treatment of insomnia. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 9(780), 1–10.
• Eskici İlgin, V., & Yayla, A. (2023). The effect of the 4-7-8 breathing technique on pain and sleep quality after bariatric surgery. Bariatric Surgical Practice and Patient Care, 18(3), 134–141.
• Delaney, J. P. (2002). The effects of stress and relaxation on heart rate variability in health and disease (Doctoral dissertation, University of North Texas). ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.
• Abdelfatah, D. A. A., & Ahmed, D. A. A. S. (2024). The effect of deep breathing exercise versus 4-7-8 technique on insomnia, pain, and anxiety in burn patients. Egyptian Journal of Nursing Sciences, 5(2), 45–58. Retrieved from