You would use the other morph not breath of life to recoup the magicka spent casting it. That or vigor. If you have good magicka regen or can recoup the magicka breath if life works. Lingering ritual is pretty nice because of its low cost but has a cast time.
“All right, I've been thinking, when life gives you lemons, don't make lemonade! Make life take the lemons back! Get mad! I don't want your damn lemons! What am I supposed to do with these? Demand to see life's manager!
Make life rue the day it thought it could give Cave Johnson lemons! Do you know who I am? I'm the man whose gonna burn your house down - with the lemons!” (Portal 2)
17 Years MMORPG Experience healing and I still havn't figured out why people stand in red circles.
When Imperial city will be launched and if you can get rang 5 in alliance to unlock vigor you wouldn't need to think about breath of life anymore.
Also "Rally" from the 2 hand skill tree is a good abillity to heal yourself. the longer its active the more it heals you.
I use rally and repentance. For me breath of life only heals for 1500 at rank 14, repentance heals for 900 per corpse and is magic free leaving the tiny bit of magic I have to pop up blazing shield when needed.