What Is Breathwork?

Breathwork is any exercise where you focus on your breath to achieve a specific outcome, generally to calm down or to get energized. This is achieved through conscious control of your breath, typically in a rhythmic pattern.

There are many different techniques for breathwork, which can help reduce symptoms associated with insomnia, anxiety, depression, post traumatic stress disorder, and manage stress. It’s a great practice to remove emotional debris and help you feel better, faster.

What Does Breathwork Do?

The benefits of breathwork are both mental and physical. You will see the most long-lasting results when you find a practice that works for you and remain consistent. Here are just a few of the benefits you can expect to experience when you begin practicing breathwork:

Helps Calm the Nervous System

Your nervous system is a complex network of nerves that each have a specific purpose to keep your body moving, responding, and sensing. Stressors that occur in daily life can cause your nerves to go awry. This is where breathwork comes in to help calm the nervous system. 

A recent study shows that the physical and cognitive benefits of breathwork are due to the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system, which aids in rest and digestion. Physically, breathwork can work to lower levels of cortisol in the body, resulting in a feeling of relaxation and ease. It can even work to lower your blood pressure, slow your heart rate, and change your blood pH. 

Helps Improve Your Self-Awareness

As you focus on your breath, you will have a greater awareness of your body and mind. This will allow you to check in and see what your body needs, awakening the mind-body connection. You can cultivate a feeling of calmness and focused attention with your breath alone.

Helps Ground You in the Present

Focusing on your breath and allowing your thoughts to come and go grounds you in the present moment. It allows you to check in with your body and clear the thoughts of the past and future. When you arrive in the here and now, you can think more clearly and better connect with yourself and others. 

Helps Bring You to an Elevated Mindset

Breathwork is a conscious effort to focus on your breath. There are intensive breathing techniques that decrease CO2 (carbon dioxide) in your cells resulting in an elevated state of mind. Depending on the type of breathwork, the balance of oxygen and CO2 may shift in either direction. This can bring about a deep sense of inner peace and lasting health benefits. 

Helps Reduce Stress and Anxiety

Cortisol is released into the body when it detects stress or anxiety. Depending on the type of breathwork, deep slow breaths through your nose brings more oxygen to your cells, muscles, and tissues, which counters the effects of cortisol by reducing blood pressure and slowing down your heart rate. Specific breathing practices have been shown to increase your HRV, heart rate variability, which is a measurement of health.

What Types of Breathwork Classes Can I Take?

Breathwork – known in Sanskrit as pranayama – has ancient origins in India dating back to 1500 BCE, but it also has modern applications. Breathwork classes may not be available in your city or town, but online classes and guided experiences have broadened the access to this transformative practice.

Open’s virtual on-demand and live classes are empowering for beginners and experienced breathers alike, and safely guided by expert teachers so you can participate from anywhere in the world.  

Here are the types of classes you can take:

Holotropic breathwork

When attending a Holotropic breathwork class you can expect to be guided through continuous, rapid breathing for two to three hours to selected music. The benefits that come from the class include an increase in anti-inflammatory activity. 

Voluntarily heavy breathing for a long time can put the body into a state of stress where we are able to access our unconscious thoughts and their subconscious. This can be the effect of exhaling more carbon dioxide than usual leading to a decrease in oxygen being delivered to the brain. The parts of the brain that are affected the most (hippocampus and the frontal, occipital, and parieto-occipital cortices) also govern functions such as visual processing, body sensory information, memory, the experience of time, and the sense of self. An imbalance in these areas of the brain can lead to waking dreams and out-of-body experiences. 

Shamanic breathwork

Shamanic breathwork is the process of controlling your breath through meditative exercise. It’s most often done with the guidance of a trained teacher / facilitator.

Your teacher will walk you through each of the conscious breathing techniques as you move and awaken your body. You will channel energy through your body to feel more centered, and connected.

Transformational breathwork

Transformational breathwork is unique because the session will begin with the facilitator observing your breath to see where your breath is being held. They will then use hands-on techniques, sound techniques, and positive affirmations to get your breath moving more freely through the body again. 

This kind of class is great to take to help clear your body from any negativity you may have been holding on to.

What Are Some Popular Breathwork Techniques?

Box Breathing

Box breathing is a great technique to begin with because it’s simple and can be done anywhere. Simply start with an inhale for a count of four, hold for a count of four, exhale for a count of four, and hold for a count of four. Then repeat the entire cycle for as long as you need to. If you’re just getting started, try 3 rounds.

Lion’s Breath

Lion’s breath gives you a great facial stretch and an emotional release. It’s usually practiced in a seated position. 

First, inhale through your nose. Then exhale through the mouth with a strong “ha” sound, and open your mouth wide while sticking out your tongue as far as you can. Bring your face back to neutral and then repeat the process four to six times.

Breath of Fire

Breath of fire helps clear out the nasal passageways, and is a great way to energize and release inhibitions.

To begin, rest your hand over your belly button then exhale quickly and sharply, bringing your belly button towards your spine. Allow your lungs to naturally fill with air between each sharp exhale and repeat for 30-50 breaths. Then recover your breath by breathing slowly and quietly in and out through your nose, noticing how you feel.

Victorious Breath

In a seated position, the victorious breath begins with a long and deep breath through your nose. As you inhale and exhale, relax and make a hissing sound through the nostrils. You can take it a step further and close one nostril at a time while still making a loud sound.

Diaphragmatic Breathing

Your diaphragm is located behind your rib cage in your lower belly. This technique is done with one hand on your belly and the other on your chest. Breathe in slowly through your nose and your belly will rise, then exhale through pursed lips and tighten your abs. Try to keep the hand on your chest still. Repeat this process 5-10 times.

4-7-8 Breathing

To begin the 4-7-8 breathing technique, you will place the tip of your tongue behind your top teeth and then inhale for a count of four. Then you hold your breath for a count of seven and finally exhale with the same whoosh for a count of eight.

Alternate Nostril Breaths

This technique is exactly how it sounds. It involves you blocking the right nostril as you inhale and close both at the top of the breath. Then you release the right and close the left as you exhale. Then you repeat the cycle the other way and then do the complete cycle again.

Where Can I Learn How to Practice Breathwork?

Open has a lot to offer when it comes to breathwork.  

Having on-demand classes means you can begin your journey and experience a transformational reset within minutes. The classes you can find are diverse and the teachers are wise and intelligent. They will help you confidently find your equilibrium and restore wholeness.

Breathwork Is for Everyone

Now it’s time to begin your journey into the world of breathwork. It’s important to take the time for yourself to find the technique that works for you and gives you those benefits you have been looking for. Explore our breathwork classes and commit to awakening your body. 

Interested in learning more? Sign up for our newsletter and download the Open app to get started. 

Sources:

A Yoga Program For Cognitive Enhancement | PLOS ONE

Complementary Pain Therapies Diaphragmatic Breathing | Johns Hopkins 

Learning Diaphragmatic Breathing | Harvard 

Just Breathe: Body Has A Built-In Stress Reliever | NPR 

What Is Holotropic Breathwork? | Very Well Mind