Why Heart Coherence Could Be the Missing Link in Teacher Wellbeing
Have you ever felt like this?
It’s Monday morning.
You’re juggling a coffee in one hand, your laptop bag in the other, and before you even reach the classroom, your mind is already full. The printer jams, there’s an urgent email from a parent waiting in your inbox, a studet in tears at the classroom door and the bell is about to ring.
By recess, your heart feels like it’s been running a marathon.
Sound familiar?
I know that feeling deeply—because I’m there.
The Hidden Cost of Teacher Stress
Teaching is beautiful and meaningful work. But let’s be honest—it’s also relentless.
When we live in constant “go mode,” our nervous system stays stuck in a fight-or-flight state. Your heart rate speeds up. Your breathing becomes shallow. Cortisol floods your body.
And over time, this doesn’t just make you tired.
It impacts your health
It changes how you show up for your students
It drains your passion for teaching
It impacts on your personal life
The research is clear: teacher wellbeing is directly linked to student outcomes. What is also just as clear: lack of teacher wellbeing is directly related to stress and burnout. A national survey by the Black Dog Institute in 2023 found that 70% of teachers reported having unmanageable workloads, 52% reported moderate to severe symptoms of depression, and 59.7% reported feeling stressed. Another study found that 73.9% of respondents experienced moderate-to-high levels of burnout compared to the general population. A separate study in 2022 by the National Education Association found that 67% of educators considered burnout a very serious issue and 90% considered it very serious or somewhat serious.
Research is also clear that when we are calm and emotionally regulated, our classrooms feel safer, more connected, and more alive.
But the good news is—this can change.
It starts with your heart.
What is Heart Coherence?
Heart coherence is a simple but powerful state where your heart, brain, and nervous system work in harmony.
Think of it like tuning a guitar. When it’s out of tune, everything feels jagged. When it’s in tune, everything resonates beautifully.
When you’re in heart coherence:
Your breathing naturally slows
Your heart rate becomes smooth and stable
Your brain shifts out of stress mode and into clarity
This isn’t just “feel-good wellness talk”—it’s grounded in science.
Research on heart rate variability (HRV) shows that even a few minutes of heart-focused breathing can lower cortisol, improve emotional regulation, and build resilience.
And the best part? You can do it in two minutes.
Try This: A 2-Minute Heart Reset
You can do this right now—even as you’re reading.
1. Sit comfortably and gently place your hand over your heart.
2. Breathe slowly and deeply—inhale for 5 counts, exhale for 5 counts.
3. As you breathe, bring to mind a moment of gratitude or kindness. Maybe it’s a student’s smile, the feeling of sunshine, or someone you love.
4. Keep breathing like this for just two minutes.
Notice what shifts.
Maybe your shoulders drop.
Maybe your mind feels just a little clearer.
That’s heart coherence. Simple. Subtle. Powerful.
Why I’m Sharing This With You
I’m not just writing this as a wellbeing coach—I’m writing as a teacher, just like you.
After years in the classroom, I saw how stress was quietly shaping the way we taught, the way we connected, and the way we lived. I wanted to understand it better.
That’s why I’m now exploring teacher stress as part of my PhD research, looking at how practices like heart coherence can be achieved through simple meditation, breathwork, and EFT tapping - all these simple acts can actually improve teacher wellbeing in measurable ways.
What I’ve learned is this:
✨ You don’t need hours of yoga.
✨ You don’t need a wellness retreat.
✨ You just need simple, science-backed practices you can weave into your day.
And I want to share them with you.
Let’s Do This Together
This blog is just the beginning.
Each week, I’ll share:
💛 Quick, realistic practices for the classroom
💛 Insights from my research on teacher stress
💛 Guided breathwork, meditations, and tapping sequences
💛 Small shifts that create big ripple effects
And if you’d like to go deeper, I’m hosting free group meditation sessions online—short, practical, and designed for teachers who want to feel more like themselves again.
👉 Join me for a free 10-minute Teacher Calm Reset Session
You deserve to feel calm.
You deserve to feel whole.
And you don’t have to do it alone.
Coming Next Week…
3 Quick EFT Tapping Points Every Teacher Should Know to Release Tension Instantly
Because sometimes, all it takes is 2 minutes to feel human again.
Want More Support Right Now?
✅ Download my free Heart Reset Guide → a simple PDF you can keep on your desk or in the staffroom.
✅ Join my mailing list → I’ll send you short practices you can use in your everyday routine.
✅ Connect with me → Let’s create a ripple of calm in education together.
