Take A Breath

Polly Warren
  • 4.6 (31)
  • HEALTH & FITNESS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

A podcast for creating practical calm in the messy middle of midlife. This is your space to pause.  Because life in midlife is full-on. Between work, family, menopause, and the mental load, your nervous system can easily end up in constant overdrive — leaving you feeling exhausted, reactive, and overwhelmed by even the smallest things.  Each week, I’ll share my own tools, alongside honest conversations and practical nervous system support —  to help you create more calm, peace, joy, and inner steadiness. Not by escaping your life, because that’s totally unrealistic, but by meeting it differently. So when you're ready, let’s take a breath together… 

  1. 1D AGO

    You Keep Saying You’ll Do Something for You… But You Keep Choosing Everything Else First

    You know the phrases…  “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” “Put your oxygen mask on first.” But here’s the real question… Are you actually doing it? Or are you still giving your time, energy, and attention to everyone else…  and hoping you’ll get a moment for yourself somewhere down the line? In this episode, I’m sharing a very honest reflection, one that’s come from being forced to slow down after surgery, and what it’s helped me realise about what I thought was self-care… versus what actually supports your nervous system. ✨ In this episode, I also explore:  Why knowing you should prioritise yourself isn’t the same as actually doing it  The hidden ways you might be “pushing” under the guise of self-care  What your nervous system really needs to feel calm and supported  Why one-off self-care (like holidays or occasional treats) isn’t enough  The power of small, consistent moments to reset and reconnect  A simple 3-step approach to start showing up for yourself dailyTo claim your FREE month's membership for The Inner Space (offer ends at end of May 2026) email INNER SPACE to info@pollywarren.com  Download 15 Breaths to Calm Anxiety - a FREE 5 minute audio to calm you down in real time. Download The Breath Check-Up - your FREE guide to understanding how well you're breathing right now. Download my energising 5 Minute Morning Practice to get your day started in the best way possible. To find out more about my membership The Inner Space go to:  https://www.pollywarren.com/theinnerspace Email me at:  info@pollywarren.com https://www.pollywarren.com/ https://www.instagram.com/pollywarrencoaching/

    26 min

  2. 6D AGO

    Thursday Thoughts - It's All an Inside Job

    On today’s Thursday's Thoughts, Lucy and I are exploring the idea that ‘it’s all an inside job.’ Your inner world shapes how you experience everything around you, and your outer world becomes a reflection of what’s happening within.  When you start to notice your thoughts, and how you’re really feeling, something shifts. You respond to life differently with more awareness and often more calm and compassion. In this episode, we share some of the simple tools that have helped us navigate our own inner worlds. We hope you find something useful in here. Love Polly & Lucy xx Download 15 Breaths to Calm Anxiety - a FREE 5 minute audio to calm you down in real time. Download The Breath Check-Up - your FREE guide to understanding how well you're breathing right now. Download my energising 5 Minute Morning Practice to get your day started in the best way possible. To find out more about my membership The Inner Space go to:  https://www.pollywarren.com/theinnerspace Email me at:  info@pollywarren.com https://www.pollywarren.com/ https://www.instagram.com/pollywarrencoaching/

    29 min

  3. APR 28

    It's Ok to Not Be OK

    In this episode, I open up about how I’ve been navigating the emotional ups and downs of recovery after knee surgery. I share a recent wobble I experienced, and why learning to feel your emotions, rather than push them away, is such an important part of moving through difficult moments. It’s not about getting stuck in how you feel, but allowing those emotions to move through you with awareness and compassion. I also talk about the power of a good cry (something we often underestimate), and the simple, supportive ways we can gently shift heavy or stuck energy when it shows up. If you’ve been telling yourself you’re “fine” when you’re really not, I hope my  reflections remind you there’s another way. Download 15 Breaths to Calm Anxiety - a FREE 5 minute audio to calm you down in real time. Download The Breath Check-Up - your FREE guide to understanding how well you're breathing right now. Download my energising 5 Minute Morning Practice to get your day started in the best way possible. To find out more about my membership The Inner Space go to:  https://www.pollywarren.com/theinnerspace Email me at:  info@pollywarren.com https://www.pollywarren.com/ https://www.instagram.com/pollywarrencoaching/

    23 min

  4. APR 23

    Thursday Thoughts - Not Living in the Past

    On this week's Thursday Thoughts, Lucy and I are talking about not living in the past. We all spend time thinking about the past — whether it's reminiscing about a lovely memory, cringing about something we said or did 5 years ago, or thinking about a relationship we're struggling to move on from. The question we want to ask is: how much time am I actually spending in the past? The truth is that what's done is done, and while we can learn lessons from the past, staying stuck on something that happened 3 weeks or 10 years ago probably isn't serving you. So...if you find yourself spending a little too much time ruminating over that time you made a tit of yourself at last year's Christmas party, it might be time to let that go; and instead, start thinking more about the present moment, and your exciting future. We hope you'll find something useful in here. Love, Polly & Lucy x Download 15 Breaths to Calm Anxiety - a FREE 5 minute audio to calm you down in real time. Download The Breath Check-Up - your FREE guide to understanding how well you're breathing right now. Download my energising 5 Minute Morning Practice to get your day started in the best way possible. To find out more about my membership The Inner Space go to:  https://www.pollywarren.com/theinnerspace Email me at:  info@pollywarren.com https://www.pollywarren.com/ https://www.instagram.com/pollywarrencoaching/

    20 min

  5. APR 16

    Thursday Thoughts - Brainwash Yourself

    On today’s Thursday's Thoughts, Lucy and I are talking about brainwashing ourselves with beliefs that are actually going to serve us. Whether we know it or not, our lives are quietly being run by the subconscious beliefs that we hold - some of which are helping us, many of which are not. The good news is that we can choose to change our beliefs anytime we like; so if you believe that “life goes downhill once you hit 50”, or “being single makes me a loser”, you aren’t stuck with those limiting beliefs forever. It’s simply a matter of choosing a different, more empowering belief, and reinforcing that new one in the same way you reinforce the negative ones. Ultimately, a belief is just a thought you think over and over and over again - so…it’s time to start paying attention to the stories on repeat in your monkey mind. We sincerely hope that you’ll find something useful in here. Love, Polly & Lucy x Download 15 Breaths to Calm Anxiety - a FREE 5 minute audio to calm you down in real time. Download The Breath Check-Up - your FREE guide to understanding how well you're breathing right now. Download my energising 5 Minute Morning Practice to get your day started in the best way possible. To find out more about my membership The Inner Space go to:  https://www.pollywarren.com/theinnerspace Email me at:  info@pollywarren.com https://www.pollywarren.com/ https://www.instagram.com/pollywarrencoaching/

    32 min

  6. APR 9

    Thursday Thoughts - Trusting the Process

    On this week’s Thursday Thoughts, Lucy and I are talking about trusting the process. I talk about my recent knee operation and how trusting the process has been has been and will be such an important part of my recovery. We explore how having faith, and choosing to believe that things are working out for you, even when it doesn’t feel like it, can really help to keep positive. Because let’s be honest… it’s easy to trust when life’s flowing. It’s a very different story when things feel slow, uncertain, or a bit wobbly. We hope you find something useful in here. Love Polly & Lucy xx Download 15 Breaths to Calm Anxiety - a FREE 5 minute audio to calm you down in real time. Download The Breath Check-Up - your FREE guide to understanding how well you're breathing right now. Download my energising 5 Minute Morning Practice to get your day started in the best way possible. To find out more about my membership The Inner Space go to:  https://www.pollywarren.com/theinnerspace Email me at:  info@pollywarren.com https://www.pollywarren.com/ https://www.instagram.com/pollywarrencoaching/

    21 min

  7. APR 2

    Thursday Thoughts - Patience

    In today’s Thursday's Thoughts, Lucy and I are diving into something we all need a little more of… patience. In a world where almost everything is available at the click of a button, waiting can feel harder than ever. We’re so used to instant results that anything slower can feel frustrating. But when we allow things to unfold in their own time, they often feel even more meaningful. There’s a richness in the process that we miss when we rush straight to the outcome. Because sometimes, it really is better to travel than to arrive! We hope this conversation gives you a gentle reminder to slow down, trust the timing, and maybe even enjoy the in-between moments a little more. Love Polly & Lucy xx Download 15 Breaths to Calm Anxiety - a FREE 5 minute audio to calm you down in real time. Download The Breath Check-Up - your FREE guide to understanding how well you're breathing right now. Download my energising 5 Minute Morning Practice to get your day started in the best way possible. To find out more about my membership The Inner Space go to:  https://www.pollywarren.com/theinnerspace Email me at:  info@pollywarren.com https://www.pollywarren.com/ https://www.instagram.com/pollywarrencoaching/

    25 min

  8. MAR 31

    How Light Is Affecting Your Sleep, Stress & Long-Term Health with Dr Martin Moore-Ede

    In this week’s episode of Take a Breath, I’m joined by Dr Martin Moore-Ede — one of the world’s leading experts in circadian science and the health impacts of light. After more than 40 years of research, his work reveals something most of us never even think about… how the light we’re exposed to every day could be quietly shaping how we sleep, feel, and function. If you’ve ever found yourself lying awake at night, feeling wired but exhausted… struggling to wake up in the morning… or riding that familiar mid-afternoon energy dip — this conversation may explain why. Because in today’s world of screens, indoor living, and artificial lighting, we’ve drifted far from the natural light patterns our bodies were designed for — and our nervous systems are feeling it. We also explore some of the sobering findings around light and long-term health, including research linking artificial light exposure at night with increased risks of conditions like breast cancer.  But this isn’t about fear — it’s about awareness and empowerment. You’ll come away with simple, practical ways to support your health, improve your sleep, and feel more calm and balanced using something as accessible as light. ✨ In this episode, you’ll learn:  The powerful impact of natural outdoor light on your energy, mood, and sleep  How artificial light exposure can influence hormones, metabolism, and long-term health  What research is beginning to show about light and conditions such as breast cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular health, and weight gain  Why modern lighting may be contributing to that “tired but wired” feeling  Simple, realistic shifts you can make to feel calmer, sleep better, and support your overall wellbeingTo find out more go to: https://lightdoctormartinmooreede.substack.com/ Download 15 Breaths to Calm Anxiety - a FREE 5 minute audio to calm you down in real time. Download The Breath Check-Up - your FREE guide to understanding how well you're breathing right now. Download my energising 5 Minute Morning Practice to get your day started in the best way possible. To find out more about my membership The Inner Space go to:  https://www.pollywarren.com/theinnerspace Email me at:  info@pollywarren.com https://www.pollywarren.com/ https://www.instagram.com/pollywarrencoaching/

    51 min
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4.6
out of 5
31 Ratings

About

A podcast for creating practical calm in the messy middle of midlife. This is your space to pause.  Because life in midlife is full-on. Between work, family, menopause, and the mental load, your nervous system can easily end up in constant overdrive — leaving you feeling exhausted, reactive, and overwhelmed by even the smallest things.  Each week, I’ll share my own tools, alongside honest conversations and practical nervous system support —  to help you create more calm, peace, joy, and inner steadiness. Not by escaping your life, because that’s totally unrealistic, but by meeting it differently. So when you're ready, let’s take a breath together… 

Information

  • Creator
    Polly Warren
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    316
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Take A Breath
  • Show Website
    Take A Breath

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