Includes bibliographical references.

So what do we really need to live well? -- A calm nervous system -- An uncluttered brain -- A safe, nourished body that moves and rests -- Breathing space -- How to find Your new normal -- Pay attention to the gaps -- Befriend your vagus nerve -- Find your best forms of rest -- Honor the season you're in -- Slow down and sidestep -- Check your habits -- Savor the good -- Restore your attention -- Let your mind wander -- Walk the in‑between -- Repair and make space -- Build space to create -- Open space.

It's a lot, we say. And it's true - sometimes everyday life feels like too much. So what habits can we prioritise for mental clarity and creative verve? How can we continue to do what's normal and necessary but wind back to care for our basic human needs? In this compassionate and actionable guide, respected health journalist Jodi Wilson explores the simple, evidence-based changes we can make to give our brains the breathing space they need. Jodi discovers, in a fascinating exploration of the brain and body, that neuroscientists and psychologists, as well as artists and sustainable living experts, all agree on the one habit that can change how we live. It's something our ancestors had in abundance 10,000 years ago but we've essentially eradicated from our lives: free time, spare time, leisure time. The modern concept of self-care we've been sold doesn't help - it costs us time and money, and keeps us on an unsustainable treadmill. No one is making a profit when we choose to rest and do less, yet it's the biologically proven antidote to modern stress. A Brain That Breathes explores 12 essential habits with practical suggestions to embrace the power of 'enoughness', 'soft fascination' and intentional 'not-doing' so you can declutter your mind, restore your attention, and live every day with breathing space.