HCA Talks Health
What Health and Wellness Coaches Need to Know about Breathing Efficiency
Breathe “as nature intended” with Life Coach & Doctor, Louise Oliver
Published: 27th February 2026
In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Louise Oliver, an NHS GP, Functional Breathing Practitioner and therapeutic Life Coach, to talk about the profound impact of breathing efficiency on our physical and mental wellbeing.
Louise shares her personal journey of how correcting her own breathing patterns resolved her snoring, transformed her sleep and increased her capacity to handle stress. She explains that many of us have lost the ability to breathe "as nature intended" due to modern lifestyles, leading to a host of hidden health issues.
Dr Oliver breaks down the science of why the nose is our primary breathing organ and how simple shifts in posture and tongue position can recalibrate our nervous system, providing Health and Wellness Coaches with the necessary tools to improve your client’s breathing and know when to refer them to a doctor.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
The nose as a filter and how it connects directly to our brain's emotional centres
24/7 breathing efficiency as part of our unconscious breathing patterns vs. breathwork
The “light, low, slow” framework to induce a relaxation response and move out of a chronic stress state
How diaphragmatic breathing assists in removing toxins during sleep
How to correctly position the tongue and improve your airway health
Louise’s approach reminds us that breathing is a free, accessible tool that can improve everything from brain fog and exercise recovery to hormonal balance and chronic pain.
Timestamps:
00:00 – Welcome to HCA Talks Health
00:54 – Louise’s story: How breathing changed her life and stopped her snoring
02:08 – What it means to breathe "as nature intended"
03:10 – The dangers of mouth breathing and the benefits of the nose
05:31 – Why 50% of people may be breathing inefficiently
06:21 – How hormones (menopause, pregnancy) impact your breath
08:00 – The impact of "sucking in your stomach" on the diaphragm
11:58 – The difference between breathing efficiency and traditional breathwork
17:09 – The 3 dimensions: Breathe Light, Breathe Low and Breathe Slow
18:13 – Demonstration: How posture and mouth breathing trigger stress
22:38 – Over-breathing and how to recalibrate your body
25:05 – Breathing at night: The glymphatic system and brain detox
27:40 – Mouth taping: Benefits and safety considerations (MyoTape)
32:38 – Advice for Health and Wellness Coaches: How to observe client breathing
35:58 – Surprising health links: From brain fog to improved smell and thyroid health
40:02 – The #1 Tip: The correct tongue position for an open airway
Dr Louise Oliver - GP, Functional Breathing Practitioner, and Therapeutic Life Coach
Our guest, Dr Louise Oliver, is a GP, Functional Breathing Practitioner, and Therapeutic Life Coach who brings a uniquely personal and evidence-informed perspective to the often-overlooked topic of breathing efficiency. Winner of the Yorkshire Prestige Awards 2025/26, she has spent over two decades working within the NHS, developing deep expertise across a wide range of health challenges, including women's health.
Dr Oliver's own journey into functional breathing began when she started exploring non-medication approaches to support her patients with psychological distress and chronic pain. It was only when perimenopausal snoring prompted her to examine her own breathing patterns that she realised how profoundly inefficient breathing had shaped her health; and how transformative relearning it could be.
Today, she supports others in re-educating their bodies to breathe efficiently and unconsciously, drawing on her experience as both clinician and coach. Originally from Holmfirth, she resides there still with her husband and two children, finding daily inspiration in the surrounding countryside. She brings to every session the same curiosity, kindness, and patience that have guided her throughout her remarkable career.
Dr. Louise encourages us with optimising our breathing by sharing that “The harder it is to change, the more life changing it's gonna be.”
To learn more about how breathing can positively impact your life, visit Dr Louise Oliver’s website at www.drlouiseolivertherapeuticlifecoaching.com. For a safe, non-restrictive solution for nose tape, Dr. Louise only recommends MyoTape (available globally, including on Takealot).
You Might Also Like:
Join guest speaker Ross Austen on everyday wellbeing to delve into Breathing, Cold Water Therapy & Gut Health. Learn more about positive sleep and better health with Giles Watkins on Rest & Leadership.
Continue Your Health Journey
If you’re interested in all things health and wellness-related, consider a career in health and wellness coaching with our Level 5 Diploma training course. Click here to learn more or join a free introductory webinar with our senior team.