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. 4D AGO

    Thursday Thoughts - Victimhood

    On this week's Thursday Thoughts, Lucy and I are talking about victimhood. We all know that person who tells the same story over and over again, blaming everything that’s wrong with their life on something that happened to them in the past. And let’s be honest, we’ve probably all done it to a greater or lesser extent. The question is: how long will we play the victim? And are these stories we keep repeating actually serving us? Of course bad things happen to us all, and of course we need to feel our feelings; but how long we choose to stay in that place of victimhood is ultimately up to us. Freedom comes when you start to take radical responsibility for yourself and your life. We hope you’ll find something interesting or helpful in this conversation. 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

  2. 6D AGO

    Step Three to a Regulated Nervous System: Building your Capacity

    In this episode, I’m taking you into the third step of regulating your nervous system — and this is where things really begin to shift. We’ve already explored awareness and regulation, but if you’ve ever felt like you’re still getting pulled into stress again and again… this is the missing piece. Today, I’m talking about capacity (how much your nervous system can actually hold) and why midlife can feel like things suddenly become “too much”, even when nothing obvious has changed. I’ll walk you through how to gently expand your window of tolerance, so you’re not constantly overwhelmed by life’s demands. This isn’t about avoiding stress — it’s about building the ability to move through it with more steadiness, more clarity, and far less reactivity.  What you’ll learn in this episode:  Why stress isn’t always the problem, and how a “full” nervous system changes the way you respond to everyday life  How your window of tolerance works (and why it can feel smaller in midlife)  The concept of building capacity through small, manageable stretches, not pushing or forcing  How your breath becomes a powerful tool for both calming your system and building resilience  What real nervous system regulation actually looks like in daily life, and how to feel more steady, even when life is fullDownload 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/

    36 min

  3. MAR 19

    Thursday Thoughts - Physical & Mental Decluttering

    This week on Thursday Thoughts, Lucy and I are talking about decluttering…and not just the cupboards and drawers. Because clutter isn’t always physical. Sometimes it’s the mental tabs we keep open, the emotional baggage we’re still carrying, the commitments that no longer feel like ours, or the digital noise constantly pulling at our attention. If life has been feeling a little full lately, we hope this conversation might be the gentle nudge you need to clear some space, both physically and mentally. 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/

    28 min

  4. MAR 17

    When Your Tests Are Normal… But Your Symptoms Aren’t with Miguel Bautista

    This week’s episode is for anyone who has been dealing with symptoms that feel very real, very limiting, and yet every test, scan or specialist appointment seems to come back with the same answer: “You’re fine.” I’m joined by Miguel Bautista, founder of CFS Recovery, who helps people recover from chronic fatigue syndrome, long COVID and other debilitating symptoms through a nervous system and neuroplasticity-based approach. Miguel shares his own powerful story of recovery after four and a half years of living with a hypersensitive nervous system, severe fatigue, brain fog and a huge range of physical symptoms that left him bedridden and searching for answers. Together, we explore what can happen when the body is stuck in survival mode, why symptoms can be very real even when tests come back normal, and how recovery can begin when we start working with the nervous system rather than against it. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why a hypersensitive nervous system can create real physical symptoms even when tests appear normalHow stress, personality traits and life pressures can push the nervous system into survival modeHow neuroplasticity and brain retraining can help change persistent symptom patternsWhy your emotional response to symptoms can influence whether they intensify or settleThe difference between managing symptoms and truly moving toward recovery and thrivingFor Recovery Stage Identifier and Personalised Recovery Report go to: https://cfsrecovery.co/breathe 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/

    56 min

  5. MAR 12

    Thursday Thoughts - Starting Small with Movement

    On today's Thursday Thoughts, Lucy and I are talking about moving your body, and more specifically, starting small when you’ve been injured or you’ve got out of the habit of taking exercise. Lucy and I talk about what our exercise routines look like when we’re taking it easier than usual, which can include some simple stretches or 10 minutes on a rebounder. We also touch on nasal breathing and why it’s so helpful for our overall health. The main thing to take from this conversation is that even the smallest amount of movement is better than nothing. We really 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/

    31 min

  6. MAR 10

    Step Two to a Regulated Nervous System: How to Come Back to Calm

    I’m continuing our series on how to build a more regulated nervous system. We've already explored Stage One: Awareness — learning to notice when your nervous system is calm, when stress is creeping in, and when you’ve tipped into that more activated state of anxiety or overwhelm. In this week's episode episode, I’m guiding you through Stage Two: Regulation & How to Come Back To Calm — the practical ways you can bring your nervous system back to calm once you notice it’s been activated. Because stress, pressure and emotional ups and downs are part of being human. The real skill isn’t avoiding stress altogether, but learning how to guide yourself back to a steadier, calmer state. I’ll walk you through several simple body-based “portals” that help your nervous system shift from stress back into safety — tools you can begin using straight away in everyday life. In this episode I share: Why we often can’t think our way out of stress — and why the body needs to feel safe firstHow the brain and body communicate through the nervous system, including the 80/20 body-to-brain signal pathwayFive simple “portals” into nervous system regulationHow your everyday breathing habits influence your nervous system throughout the dayWhy developing body awareness helps you notice stress earlier and respond before overwhelm buildsTo find out more about how your breathing may be affecting your nervous system, download for FREE The Breath Check up.   If you’d like some guidance with the breathing techniques I mention in this episode, you can explore my Rapid Calm Toolkit or Breathe Better Basics, where I guide you through simple practices to help you calm and regulate your nervous system whenever you need to. 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/

    41 min

  7. MAR 5

    Thursday Thoughts - The Amount of Good Things in Your Life Depends on Your Ability to Notice Them

    On this week's Thursday Thoughts, Lucy and I are talking about how the amount of good things in your life depends on your ability to notice them. With so much fear and negativity in the news right now, it’s easy for your attention to be pulled towards what feels heavy and overwhelming. That’s why being intentional about where you place your focus matters more than ever. This conversation is a gentle reminder that you can train your brain to look for more of what’s uplifting and good. It’s not about ignoring reality — it’s about strengthening your capacity to see the positive alongside it. We hope you find something that resonates 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/

    28 min

  8. MAR 3

    Embracing The Benefits of Cold Water Exposure with Wendy Heine

    In this episode of Take a Breath, I’m joined by Wendy Heine — certified Wim Hof instructor, breathwork coach and yoga teacher. Wendy shares her journey from avoiding the cold completely to embracing it as a powerful tool for healing, particularly following her cancer diagnosis in 2021. We explore both the science and the nervous system side of cold exposure — what’s actually happening in the body, why it can lift mood and energy so quickly, and how breathwork completely changes your experience of stepping into discomfort. This isn’t about bravado. It’s not about forcing yourself into freezing water. It’s about intention, regulation, and building resilience in a calm, grounded way. Inside this conversation, we explore: Why cold water can lift mood, sharpen focus and boost energyHow long is long enough to trigger the key physiological benefitsWhat “cold enough” really means (and why it doesn’t need to be extreme)How to use your breath to stay calm and in controlWhy cold exposure is a form of positive stress that can strengthen both body and mind when approached safelyIf you’ve been curious about cold showers or sea dips but feel hesitant, this episode will help you understand how to approach it in a way that feels empowering rather than overwhelming. It’s about learning to stay steady — even when things feel uncomfortable — and taking that steadiness back into everyday life. To connect with Wendy, go to: https://www.instagram.com/longevitylifestylecoach/ 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
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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
    308
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Take A Breath
  • Show Website
    Take A Breath

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