How to Breathe Properly So You Can Stay Calm and Engage with Dr. Amy Novotny.

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If you were asked to name the ways your body is involved in public speaking, you might list stance, movement, gestures, heart rate — even sweating. The rib cage would probably be far down that list, if it were on it at all. In this episode, Dr. Amy Novotny explains why it should be much higher, and how rib cage position affects not only your breathing but your nervous system and your ability to deliver a compelling presentation.

Amy founded the PABR Institute — Pain Awareness Breathing Relief — with the mission to provide pain, stress, and anxiety relief using naturalistic treatment methods. She is co-author of two Amazon number one bestselling books, speaks three languages, has run more than 40 marathons and 10 ultra-marathons, and her wildlife photography has been recognized by National Geographic.

The Nervous System and Public Speaking

Our autonomic nervous system has two almost opposing modes: the parasympathetic system — rest, digest, relaxation — and the sympathetic, or fight-or-flight system. When we step in front of an audience, the body often kicks into that fight-or-flight state. The sweaty palms, the blank mind, the voice that won't cooperate — all of these are reactions to the nervous system perceiving public speaking as a threat.

The powerful thing is that we can change that. We can shift out of fight-or-flight and back into parasympathetic mode, where we speak with clarity, varied pace, and emotional range. The key is the combination of the right breathing technique paired with the right body position.

How Breathing Affects Your Nervous System

Breathing and the nervous system are deeply connected. When we breathe diaphragmatically, we stimulate the vagus nerve, which pulls us out of fight-or-flight and into relaxation. When we breathe shallow — using only the top of the chest — our brainstem interprets that as a sign we're in danger and responds accordingly. Shallow breathing triggers more adrenaline, faster speech, and all the symptoms speakers dread. The good news: we can shift the way we breathe to shift the way our nervous system behaves — which changes everything about how we perform.

Why the Rib Cage Matters

Think of the rib cage as a cylinder. A cylinder is most stable when it's upright and in neutral. Now, most of us have been taught — by parents, gym instructors, coaches, the military — to stand with chest out and shoulders back. What that actually does is lift the front of the cylinder, hinging us off the low back. The back muscles then kick into overdrive to compensate.

Here's the critical issue: the fight-or-flight nervous system runs along the spine. When the back muscles are overworking, they compress that nervous system and tell it to fire. So what most of us call "perfect posture" actually puts the body on the edge of fight-or-flight before we've said a single word.

How to Sit and Stand for Better Breathing

For sitting: get your low back all the way to the chair back, tuck your tailbone under, keep your feet flat on the ground, and position your knees at or slightly above hip level. This posture begins to shift your breathing and gives you access to your diaphragm. For standing: keep your weight toward your heels and the arches of your feet, not your toes. Getting off your toes helps calm the nervous system. Individual body structure will determine what further adjustments are needed.

A Breathing Exercise to Practice

Get into the seated position described above. Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly. Breathe in four steps: in through the nose, pause, blow out slowly through the mouth — hear the whoosh of air — then hold your breath for two to three seconds. As you exhale, feel your chest drop and your belly spill outward. The goal is for the air to enter without effort, and for your rib cage to drop as you breathe out.

Practice this in short sessions — three to five minutes — when you wake up, before meals, and before bed. You can even do it at a stoplight. Over time, it becomes the way you naturally hold and use your body.

Using This While You're Actually Speaking

Before you go on stage, use the breathing to settle yourself. Once you're presenting, you won't be running through breathing exercises — but there's one thing to focus on: keep your breastbone, your sternum, down. Imagine pulling it toward your tailbone. When you do that, you control your rib cage, which controls your nervous system, which controls your diaphragm, which controls the quality of sound that comes out. That one cue can give you more command over melody, pitch, pace, and tone — all in real time.

Amy worked with a sportscaster for the Dallas Cowboys who couldn't slow down his speech under pressure. After working on this technique, he was able to use emotion, melody, and varied pace to genuinely draw people in. That's what proper breathing makes possible. You can connect with Dr. Amy Novotny and book a free 15-minute consultation by emailing amy@pabrinstitute.com.

Thank you for listening to another episode of Public Speaking with Peter George. Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you listen. Are you ready to be calm, confident, and credible every time you speak in public? Then visit petergeorgepublicspeaking.com and let's make it happen. I'll see you next time.