Introduction to Breathwork
You have heard about a new approach to improving your physical and psychological (and, maybe, spiritual) health called Breathwork. Now you may be ready to start a Breathwork practice. Fantastic. I am so excited for you.
Breathing is fundamental to every physiological function of the body. When we make our breathing more efficient and learn to manage it consciously, it can have profound impacts on our health and quality of life. Ancient cultures around the world were aware of this, and, in some cases, it was an essential part of their religious and healing practices. Yoga and Buddhism are popular examples of this. Modern-day science is catching up with and validating much of this ancient knowledge. Riding the momentum of this research, James Nestor’s book Breathe has reached best-seller status and Breathwork practices including the Wim Hof Method have gained wider acceptance.
My favorite thing about Breathwork is that it is extremely practical. There are breath practices that can help with nearly every scenario. Some relax you, some give you energy, and others reduce inflammation. The effects of practicing are palpable and in some cases immediate. The practice is a direct-felt experience of self-reliance and truth.
The landscape of Breathwork is growing quickly and can be a bit daunting. My hope with this article is to explain a bit about the physiology of the breath and the different protocols out there so that you can make an informed decision about how to include breathwork in your life.
Aspects of breathing
For the purposes of a quick introduction, I will assume that you have a basic understanding of the human body and how the lungs function–but you’re ready to learn more. I want to highlight many different aspects of breathing that I believe are central to understanding its importance.
Oxygen
Every cell needs oxygen. For most of us, just a few minutes without it will render us unconscious. Luckily, this is a rare occurrence as we are surrounded by clean (I hope) air. However, it turns out that many of us may be breathing too much. Let me explain this paradox, which is called the Bohr Effect. For oxygen to be efficiently separated from the hemoglobin in the bloodstream that carries it to our other cells, our metabolism must produce an optimal PH range[1]. By breathing too heavily at inappropriate times, we unnecessarily expel carbon dioxide, which keeps our blood PH in balance. This leaves us in the precarious scenario where we have high oxygen blood saturation (SPO2) yet our cells are unable to utilize the oxygen within our blood due to a high PH. To remedy this through a Breathwork practice, we can learn to breathe lighter and slower. Over time this results in greater tolerance to carbon dioxide, which will allow you to utilize oxygen more efficiently! I recommend Patrick McKeown’s Oxygen Advantage for a deeper dive into the wonders of the blood gases oxygen and carbon dioxide.
Posture and Movement
The way in which we breathe has a great effect on our postural health. Efficient breathing through the nose utilizes the diaphragm, an umbrella-shaped muscle that separates your abdominal cavity from your thoracic cavity. Diaphragmatic breathing creates internal pressure in your abdomen, massaging your internal organs and supporting your spine. The spinal health that results from effective abdominal breathing has systemic effects on your overall health, as any chiropractor will tell you. When people habitually breathe through their mouth, they normally use secondary breathing muscles in the chest rather than the diaphragm. Research has found that body posture in mouth-breathing adults is significantly worse than their nasal breathing counterparts[2].
Nervous System
Our breathing is directly linked to our nervous system, and when we have control over our breathing, we can influence our nervous system! When we increase the rate of our breath, the sympathetic (aka fight or flight) nervous system is activated and our heart rate speeds up. When we slow down our breathing, our parasympathetic (or rest and digest) nervous system engages and our heart rate slows down. The balance of our breath is then beautifully intertwined with how we engage with the world and ourselves. By sitting and paying attention to how we are breathing, we learn to accurately assess our internal state. This pause gives us space between action and reaction, allowing us to gauge how our emotional state is affecting us. We can also use this relationship to intentionally change our state of being, for example lengthening our exhales to slow things down. Since the breath is so tightly bound to the nervous system, it is an exceptional tool for working with conditions including PTSD[3], which sometimes results in panic attacks and hyperventilation.
Hormesis
We have briefly discussed how light and slow breathing can improve oxygen utilization within our cells leading to body-wide healing, but you are probably aware that an essential element of Breathwork is deep breathing exercises… Isn’t heavy breathing bad for you? Another seeming paradox. If you only did deep heavy breathing, the answer would probably be yes. However, as an exercise, deep breathing provides boosts to immunity, mood, and energy! A lot of this can be explained by hormesis. A hormetic event is a short-term stressor that leads to adaptive changes[4]. Perhaps the best-known example of this is going to the gym. You pump some iron, your muscle fibers break down. But if you go home, eat some protein, and rest then you can lift more weight next time! By intentionally practicing deep heavy breathing, you intensely activate the sympathetic nervous system for a short period of time, which in many cases can result in positive adaptive changes to your biology.
And Beyond
With many of these deep conscious breathing practices, people report euphoria, peak experiences, and even hallucinations and profound insight. These same practices have helped people overcome trauma and addiction[5]. The healing experiences are similar in nature to those brought on by psychedelic medicines, some of which at the time of this writing are being fast-tracked by the FDA due to their remarkable efficacy in healing clinical PTSD and addiction[6][7]. Although consensus on the mechanism of action has not been reached, the results from research and testimonials from participants are very exciting.
Safety
Light and slow breathing exercises are generally safe for anyone. They can provide immense benefits and are the cornerstone of any breath practice. Techniques that involve long breath holds or deep heavy breathing require more caution, especially for those who are pregnant, epileptic, recovering from recent surgery, or who have other serious medical conditions. With deep and heavy breathing exercises there is also the possibility of passing out, so always practice in a safe location away from water and not when driving. With breathing exercises that involve states of altered consciousness, it is very important to exercise caution. Emotionally, people with panic disorders or severe mental illness may have negative experiences brought on by the intensity of the practice. We need to take care that we are in a physically and emotionally safe space and that we trust the facilitator to be responsible for us during this time when we are more vulnerable. Before practicing any breathing technique, do your homework and take responsibility for your own well-being. At its core, a breathing practice is a way to develop a deeper relationship with ourselves. If for some reason a specific practice is not working for you, that is okay! Everyone is beautifully unique, therefore no one practice will work for everyone. There are so many to explore. Knowing the basic principles of breathing will help you regardless of what method you choose.
Basic Exercises
Balanced Breathing
One of the most basic and impactful exercises involves slowing our breath rate down to about 6 breaths per minute. To practice:
Sit or lie down in a comfortable position.
Inhale through the nose for 5 seconds.
Exhale through the nose for 5 seconds.
Repeat for 5-10 minutes.
You can find a short guided explanation and exercise here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-C6sBnVj9k
Extended Exhales
By extending our exhales we can upregulate our parasympathetic nervous system and bring on a calmer state. To practice:
Sit or lie down in a comfortable position.
Inhale through the nose for 3 seconds.
Exhale through the nose for 6 seconds.
Repeat for 5-10 minutes.
You can find a short guided explanation and exercise here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwaEeh4SJf8
Box Breathing
Box breathing is a fantastic tool used by navy seals to achieve calm and focus in stressful situations. To practice:
Sit or lie down in a comfortable position.
Inhale through the nose for4 seconds.
Hold your breath for 4 seconds.
Exhale through the nose for 4 seconds.
Hold your breath for 4 seconds.
Repeat for 5-10 minutes.
You can find a short guided explanation and exercise here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR4Mr1JuK9U
Different Methods
Where to get started? Choose an exercise that appeals to you. Even simple practices have great benefits, so I recommend going for them even if they are basic! However, the deeper you go the more you get out of it.
Buteyko Method - The Buteyko Method helps individuals reclaim their health through improvements to carbon dioxide tolerance and breathing efficiency. https://buteykoclinic.com/
Pranayama - Breathing-specific yoga is a great way to practice Breathwork! Many yoga studios may include this practice in their classes or offer specific pranayama classes. A great online class by Michael Bjiker can be found here - https://yogalap.com/courses/breathwork-pranayama
Wim Hof Method - The Wim Hof Method is a great way to take your health to the next level through deep conscious breathing, cold exposure, and commitment. https://www.wimhofmethod.com/
Other techniques worth exploring
Oxygen Advantage, Sudarshan Kriya, Holotropic Breathwork
Finding an instructor
If you would like personal instruction in Breathwork, I recommend finding an instructor or coach to help guide you. Specific methods list trained instructors on their websites so that is a great way to start. Alternatively, there may be someone in your community that is experienced in breathing instruction. I think it is best to look for someone who is knowledgeable, humble, and committed. Having a trusting relationship with your instructor is very important.
Working with me
I am a certified Wim Hof Method Instructor as well as an XPT Performance Breath Coach. I am very passionate about Breathwork and it is my life’s work to bring powerful self-regulatory tools to those who may benefit from them. My approach is to work with each individual to explore their own relationship with breath, helping clients to deepen their confidence, resilience, and sense of self-efficacy. If you would like to work with me you can find more information about me at https://www.respiritwellness.com/ or contact me at andre@respiritwellness.com.
Further Resources
Books
Breathe by James Nestor
Just Breathe by Dan Brule
The Breathing Cure by Patrick McKeown
Apps
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ibreathe-relax-and-breathe/id1296605806
Notable Organizations
https://ourbreathcollective.com/
https://www.blackgirlsbreathing.com/
Final words
Starting a breathing practice is like finding your way home. It can help us inhabit our body and this earth with joy and presence. As you embark on this journey, remember to be kind to yourself. Each person is unique and what works may be different for everyone. Feel what is happening in your body, listen to what it is asking for without forcing anything, and follow your heart.
Disclaimer
Any information associated with ReSpirit Wellness and this blog is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this blog or materials linked from this blog is at the user’s own risk. The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions.
Sources
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526028/
[2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21769416/
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4309518/
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2248601/
[7]https://www.vice.com/en/article/j5y7nd/the-fda-just-fast-tracked-another-psychedelic-medicine-trial