Breathing is something we all do naturally without a second thought. As you read this, you are breathing without even realizing it. When an anxiety or panic attack occurs, one of the first pieces of advice given is to take a deep breath. Regular breathwork and deep breathing is important to help calm a nervous system that is in fight or flight mode.
History of Breathwork
Breathwork is not a new trend that popped up in the last couple of years. It has been practiced for thousands of years and is rooted in yoga practice. It has been employed by Eastern medicine practices, such as Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine. The basic idea about it is to release toxins and stress when breathing out and to nourish the mind and body when breathing in. Breathwork involves consciously and mindfully changing breathing patterns to improve relaxation. It is used to deepen relaxation, improve focus, and unwind before bedtime.
Fight or Flight and Breathing
It is important to understand the autonomic nervous system to understand how breathwork helps calm down the body. Most people have heard of the “fight-or-flight” response that everyone has. This is the sympathetic nervous system which increases when a person is stressed or in danger. The parasympathetic nervous system is the “rest-and-digest” part of the brain which is responsible for relaxing the body after periods of stress or danger. In society today, people are too often in fight-or-flight when there is no real danger and people must be able to tap into that parasympathetic nervous system to calm this stress feeling. Breathwork is a way to slow down the nervous system and tap into the rest-and-digest part. It helps with focus and lead to a better quality of life.
Mental and Physical Benefits
Breathwork is known to benefit mental health. As stated above, it helps to engage the parasympathetic nervous system, which calms people down and come out of fight-or-flight mode. It has shown to boost mood, deepen relaxation, improve alertness, focus, and memory, promote creativity, soothe trauma and grief emotions, reduce anxiety and depression symptoms, and reduce stress symptoms. While the mental health benefits are well known, it is not quite as known that breathwork helps with physical health as well. Research has shown that breathwork may reduce high blood pressure, help with COPD, increase heart rate variability, and reduce the symptoms of asthma.
Different Types and Techniques
There are multiple techniques for breathwork, but none is better than others. The best technique is the one that feels good and sticks. First, there is 4-7-8 breathing. This consists of breathing in for 4 seconds, holding that breath for 7 seconds, and exhaling for 8 seconds. Next is alternate nostril breathing. This involves covering one nostril and alternating on each inhale and exhale. This technique is a specific type of controlled breathing that is used in yoga. Bumblebee breathing, or Bhramari Pranayama, involves breathing deeply and making a high-pitched humming sound while exhaling. When using this technique, it is advised to place index fingers over ears while humming. Box Breathing is a very popular style of breathwork that involves inhaling for 4 seconds, holding that breath for 4 seconds, exhaling for 4 seconds, then holding for another 4 seconds. Buteyko breathing technique was developed in the 1950s by a Ukranian doctor. This teaches to breathe more gently and slowly by doing exercises that require breath to be held for long periods of time. This technique includes in person training and practicing multiple times a day for at least 6 weeks. Finally, diaphragmatic breathing is a simple exercise. This technique involves breathing in while engaging the diaphragm. To practice this, the chest should be still, and the belly should fully expand. To feel this, one hand is placed on the chest and the other is placed on the belly.
Give it a Try at Home or Work
Breathwork is a very simple practice that can be done anywhere at any time. There are many benefits to this practice that are both mental and physical. Breathing is something everyone does unconsciously, but putting some more thought into it can aid in many ways. Try one of these techniques today just for a minute or so. Try to do this for a couple weeks and see if you notice any differences in yourself. See what simple breathwork practice can do for you.
