A Letter to My Younger Self | When Air Hunger Wasn’t “Just Anxiety”

The Letterbox Podcast · Sep 30, 2026 · 7m

Abby Stewart was sitting on the edge of her bed, desperate to take a satisfying breath.

Her chest felt tight. She was constantly yawning, sighing and trying to pull in more air — but the next breath never felt like enough. Her tests were normal, and she was told it was probably anxiety.

This is the letter Abby wrote to that younger version of herself, reflecting on the years that followed: discovering breathing pattern disorder, learning that her air hunger was real, retraining her breathing and eventually becoming a Senior Respiratory Physiotherapist and PhD candidate researching breathing…