As part of the 2026 Matcha Challenge, we have partnered with Carolina Sanders, a Breathwork Coach and Nutritionist. Over the coming weeks, Carolina will be sharing series of breathwork techniques to enhance the Challenge. The techniques presented by Carolina are versatile, and therefore not exclusive to Matcha Challenge participants.
Carolina is a Breathwork Coach and Nutritionist based in Brighton that specialises in nervous system regulation, stress, burnout and gut health. For more information, visit Carolina's Instagram page.
For more information on the 2026 Matcha Challenge, visit our Matcha Challenge page.
Hi there,
My name is Carolina Sanders and I’m a Breathwork Coach and Nutritionist. I've partnered with OMGTea for the Matcha Challenge to talk all about breathwork and how its connection with matcha can support you through this challenge and beyond.
As we begin the Matcha Challenge, I want to invite you into one of my favourite ways to set yourself up for anything; intention setting.
It’s so easy to rush into something new with excitement, but the real magic happens when we pause long enough to ask ourselves why we’re doing it. An intention isn’t a goal or a rule - it’s a feeling, a direction, a way you want to show up for yourself. It’s the anchor you return to when life gets noisy or distracting, to help you reconnect with something that is meaningful to you.
Breathwork is one of the most effective tools we have for anchoring those intentions in a grounded, embodied way. When the outside world pulls your attention in a hundred directions, your breath becomes the constant - a way to come back to yourself, reconnect with what matters and remember what you have committed to.
This week, I’d love for you to try our week 1 breathwork practice which is all about energising the body, before doing a mindful intention-setting practice for the challenge.
Energy Breathwork + Intention-Setting Practice
(You’ll need - your matcha, a cosy space and your journal):
- Prepare your matcha and then sit somewhere calm and cosy.
- We’re going to practice a ‘belly-chest-exhale’ breath which is a two-part inhale through the nose and an exhale out through the nose.
- So take a deep breath in through the nose, filling up the belly
- Now take a second breath in through the nose, filling up the chest
- Now exhale out through the nose
- Keep repeating, continuing for at least 60 seconds (you can set a timer if that helps) or until you feel a boost in energy through your body
- After this breath, just sit in stillness for a moment, and quietly name your intention for doing the Matcha Challenge (e.g. self-care, ritual, calm, energy… whatever feels true for you)
- Pull out your journal and write down your ‘why’ for doing the challenge, something you can come back to whenever you need to stay connected
During this first week, come back to this practice whenever you need to remember your ‘why’ for the challenge, or simply bring this breath pattern into your morning matcha routine, to help you feel balanced for the day ahead.
I’ll be back in your inbox soon with more breathwork practices and benefits - I’m excited to support you!
Love,
Carolina
