Here’s a question for you: How often do you notice yourself breathing? Other than in a yoga class or taking a walk, is your breathing something that you actually pay attention to, the tens of thousands of breaths in and out you take each day?
Breathwork is a centuries old practice for mindfulness and control over one of our most overlooked involuntary processes. At its core, breathwork is about harnessing the power of your breath to tap into a deep sense of well-being, both physically and emotionally. From ancient yogic traditions to modern mindfulness practices, the benefits of breathwork are vast, offering a holistic approach to health and wellness that can truly change your life.
Breathwork: An Introduction to Practice Forms
There are many different forms of breathwork, taught by and followed by different people for different reasons. If you’re new to this practice or just need a refresher, we’ve narrowed it down to four different forms for you to become familiar with.
Diaphragmatic Breathing (Belly Breathing):
Sit or lie down and place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen. Inhale deeply through your nose, allowing your abdomen to rise while keeping your chest relatively still. Exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat for several minutes.
4-7-8 Breathing:
Inhale quietly through your nose for a count of 4. Hold your breath for a count of 7. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whooshing sound, for a count of 8. Repeat this cycle four times.
Box Breathing:
Inhale through your nose for a count of 4. Hold your breath for a count of 4. Exhale through your mouth for a count of 4. Hold your breath again for a count of 4. Repeat for several cycles.
Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana):
Sit with your spine straight. Use your right thumb to close your right nostril. Inhale deeply through your left nostril. Close your left nostril with your right ring finger, then release your right nostril and exhale through it. Inhale through your right nostril, close it, and exhale through your left nostril. Continue alternating for a few minutes.
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How Breathwork Can Improve in your Mind & Body
Reduces Stress & Anxiety
Activation of the Parasympathetic Nervous System: Breathwork involves controlled breathing exercises that focus on the rhythm and depth of your breath.
Slow, deep breathing stimulates the vagus nerve, which in turn activates the parasympathetic nervous system.
This promotes relaxation and reduces the production of stress hormones like cortisol.
Mindfulness and Present Moment Awareness:
Breathwork encourages mindfulness by bringing our attention to the present moment, breaking the cycle of anxious thoughts and worries.
Boosts Mood
Release of Endorphins
Your breath is more than just air – it's also fuel for your brain. Through breathwork, you increase oxygen flow to the brain, sharpening your focus, enhancing your mental clarity, and boosting your cognitive function.
Deep, rhythmic breathing stimulates the release of endorphins, the body's natural "feel-good" hormones.
These chemicals act as natural painkillers and mood elevators, helping to combat feelings of sadness, anxiety, and depression.
Increased Oxygen Flow
When we practice deep breathing, we increase the oxygen flow to our brain and body, improving brain function, boosting energy levels and a positive mood.
Enhances Cognitive Function
Neuroplasticity
Breathwork may support the brain's ability to adapt and reorganize itself, promoting learning and cognitive resilience.
Increased mindfulness from breathwork can encourage new neural connections, enhancing cognitive flexibility.
Enhanced oxygenation supports cognitive function, reduces mental fog, and promotes a sense of calm and clarity.
Better Sleep Quality
Promotes Relaxation
By promoting relaxation and calming the nervous system, breathwork can help you fall asleep more easily and enjoy a deeper, more restorative rest.
It helps reduce the physical and mental tension that can interfere with falling asleep and helps quiet the mind.
The transition into sleep becomes easier, no matter how stressful your day has been.
Improves the overall quality of sleep by increasing the duration of deep sleep stages, leading to more restorative rest, supporting better physical and mental recovery during the night.
Increased Heart Health
Lowers Blood Pressure
Your heart is the engine that keeps your body running smoothly, and breathwork can help keep it in top shape. Studies suggest that yogic breathing practices may:
Lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease, and support overall cardiovascular health.
Breathwork reduces the strain on the heart and arteries, decreasing the risk of hypertension-related complications.
By lowering cortisol levels and mitigating stress and inflammation, breathwork supports a healthier cardiovascular system and reduces the risk of heart-related conditions.
Enhances Overall Cardiovascular Health
Improved cardiovascular efficiency from breathwork supports better endurance, physical performance, and overall heart health.
Enhanced Emotional Regulation
Increased Resilience and Inner Peace
Emotions are like waves – they come and go, sometimes crashing over us with overwhelming force. With breathwork, you can learn to navigate the changing waves of emotion without feeling like you're drowning.
Regular practice of breathwork helps build emotional resilience, allowing you to respond to emotional challenges with greater calm and composure.
By focusing on your breath, you can create a space for observing and understanding your emotions without becoming overwhelmed by them.
Improved Respiratory Function
Strengthens Respiratory Muscles
Your lungs are the gateway to life, and breathwork can help keep them strong and healthy. By practicing deep breathing exercises, you can:
Strengthen your respiratory muscles, improve lung function, and enhance overall respiratory health.
Deep breathing exercises such as diaphragmatic breathing and pranayama strengthen the diaphragm and intercostal muscles.
Stronger respiratory muscles support better breathing mechanics and increase lung capacity.
Regular breathwork can help expand lung capacity and improve oxygen exchange efficiency, which leads to better oxygenation of the blood, supporting overall physical performance and stamina.
Strengthened Immune System
Breathwork may also give your immune system a much-needed boost. Research suggests that regular practice of breathwork can support immune function, helping to ward off illness and keep you feeling vibrant and well.
If you would like to start your breathwork journey, I recommend these books as a great introductory guide to this impactful practice. They have helped me on my own personal journey, as well as many of my clients.
Remember, like any new practice, breathwork takes time and consistency to see the full benefits. Start with just a few minutes a day, or even a few times a week, and gradually increase the duration as you adopt this practice into your daily self-care routine. Experiment with the forms above to see which is most impactful for you. Just remember to focus your attention on your taking slow, deep, meaningful breaths… and just B R E A T H E.
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