Breathwork Practitioners Near Me

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FAQS:

What is Breathwork?

Breathwork refers to any type of breathing exercise or technique. People often perform them to improve mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. During breathwork, you intentionally change your breathing pattern. Many forms of breathwork therapy involve breathing in a conscious and systematic way. Many people find breathwork promotes deep relaxation or leaves them feeling energized.

What is the Purpose of Breathwork? 

Breathwork has its roots in ancient yogic teachings, that define the practice of directing the breath as pranayama, wherein you breathe consciously, with awareness, and in certain patterns of inhalation, exhalation, and retention of breath. In those days, the purpose of a pranayama practice was to uncover the inner light. They were a means to prepare for meditation. But today, breathwork has evolved to include many new breathing exercises that also focus on a means of self-healing and therapy. While various breathing practices (aka breathwork) have been around for centuries, science too is finally beginning to provide evidence that the benefits of these ancient practices are immense and real. Studies have found that breathing practices can help with general well-being, health, and happiness but can also help reduce symptoms associated with stress, anxiety, depression, insomnia, trauma (PTSD), attention deficit disorder, inflammation, low immunity, indigestion, and many more.

How Does Breathwork Work?

Breathwork teaches you calmness by consciously slowing and changing the way you breathe. This activates the parasympathetic system, the exact opposite system used during stress situations (fight-and-flight response).

When you are in a stressful situation, your breathing tends to become shallow and this tells the mind to activate stress hormones like cortisol. Your body starts to get ready for “fight or flight” which increases your heart rate and blood pressure. When you practice breathwork, whether during a stressful situation or not, you can actually trick your body into calming down by lowering your heart rate and blood pressure. This allows the body to revel in the relaxing effects induced by the parasympathetic system.

Breathwork also increases the amount of oxygen in the blood, carrying more to the brain, muscles, and organs. The best thing about breathwork and deep breathing is that you can do it anywhere and at any time.

If you decide to practice breathwork, it is recommended to start with a basic session of breathwork for beginners, led by a certified teacher. These days, you can search online and find at-home sessions led by qualified instructors who will guide you through the practice.

Who Can Benefit from Breathwork?

There is a misconception that healing arts are for individuals who are struggling or suffering. And yes, breathwork is very supportive for stress, tension, overwhelm, anxiety, depression, fear, grief, sadness, anger, trauma, insomnia, etc. But breathwork is also nourishing for someone who is doing well and feels ready for the next opening—the next layer of love, peace, gratitude, clarity, connection, and insights.

How Often Does One Need to Do Breathwork?

Breathwork is safe to practice every day, and a breathwork session of 5-15 minutes is a wonderful way to start or close the day.

Does Breathwork Really Work?

It’s understandable that those who are new to breathwork are curious about the evidence-based claims that practitioners make. And in recent years, there has been an increased interest in the effectiveness of breathwork in the scientific community. As a result, these practices have been scientifically proven to improve mental, physical, and emotional health.

How Long is a Breathwork Session?

Full sessions last about 45 minutes to an hour, with about 30 minutes of actual breathing time followed by a meditation and visualization period. This full session is ideal for getting the full experience and the most benefits. However, shorter sessions are also very effective and can be added to your routine. You can find sessions of increasing length starting from 5-10 minutes. On YouTube and other platforms, you can also find simple guided breathwork in different styles. Wim Hof has a few popular ones, that combine breathing with cold showers.

Is Breathwork Safe?

In general, breathwork is a perfectly safe activity that almost anyone can do with limited risk. It’s been scientifically proven to offer many benefits for physical and mental health and has even been recommended by medical professionals to help patients improve their breathing. Anyone feeling uneasy about trying breathwork can seek out private sessions, workshops, and retreats where they’ll be able to learn and experience breathwork under the guidance of trained facilitators.

How is Breathwork Different from Meditation or Yoga?

Breathing practices are on the rise, and there's a reason why: Unlike meditation, where we are aware of our mental chatter, breathwork allows us to disconnect from the mind and reconnect with our body and energy. From this elevated state of awareness, we can heal, grow, and expand. While meditation is an extremely useful form of self-reflection because it allows us to see the pace, substance, and truth of our thoughts, it also keeps us stuck in our minds, while many people are seeking to get out of their own heads.  Meditation is a slow and steady practice that over some time will shift our perspective. But many people are seeking relief now, and meditation does not bring the relief they are looking for. Breathwork, on the other hand, can be easier to drop into when you are seeking more immediate feedback. It's a great tool to pull out when you're feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or off-center.

When Should You Not Do Breathwork?

Breathwork can result in intense physical and emotional release. Therefore, it is not advised for persons with a history of cardiovascular disease, including angina or heart attack, high blood pressure, glaucoma, retinal detachment, osteoporosis, or significant recent physical injuries, or surgery. Breathwork is not advised for persons with severe mental illness or seizure disorders or for persons using major medications. It is also unsuitable for anyone with a personal or family history of aneurysms. Pregnant women are advised against practicing Breathwork without first consulting and getting approval from their primary care physician. Persons with asthma should bring their inhalers and consult with their primary care physician.

The History of Breathwork

Breathwork techniques were used in several ancient cultures but mainly originated in modern-day China, India, and Tibet. In 2700 B.C.E., Emperor Huang Ti of China supported the development of breathing exercises to promote mental and physical health.

Qigong, or energy cultivation, comprises over 3,000 breathing methods developed during this era. In India, breathwork was linked to the ancient practice of yoga, which has existed since 3000 B.C.E. In Tibet, breathing exercises were developed to cultivate spirituality, like in many other cultures, and to cope with the region’s climate. For example, one technique raises a person’s body temperature so effectively that they could sit without clothes in the snow and be unaffected by the cold.9

In more modern times, professionals in psychology have developed numerous therapies that incorporate breathwork. One of the most influential early practitioners was Austrian medical doctor and psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich, who created vegitotherapy, one of the first modern therapies to incorporate breathwork. It combined deep and shallow breathing with vocalization, massage, and energetic movement. American psychologist, psychotherapist, and writer Arthur Janov developed primal therapy, which used breathwork alongside cathartic vocalization to release emotional blockages. And American physician and psychotherapist Alexander Lowen contributed to the mind-body therapy called bioenergetic analysis, which also involves breathwork and movement.

3 Reasons Why Breathwork is Powerful

1. You'll tap into your inner knowing.

The first benefit of breathwork is that the innate wisdom of your breath and life force knows exactly where to go for the level of healing that is available for you at any given time. As the breath opens meridians and channels and aligns your body with its inherent and Universal energy, healing happens. There is no need to think, process, or figure anything out after a session. To know you can receive clarity and peace without thinking is revelatory.

2. You'll feel empowered.

In a breathwork session, you do not need to imbibe an external substance, so there is inner empowerment that comes from you. Your breath can become the source of answers to questions, insights to challenges, freedom from feeling stuck, and downloads to what's next for you, your life, and your work in the world. 

3. You'll gain a new perspective on life's challenges.

Breathwork supports so many of the challenges everyone experiences. It reduces stress and creates feelings of openness, love, peace, gratitude, clarity, communication, and connection. Breathwork also helps release trauma or mental, physical, and emotional blocks, as well as anxiety, depression, fear, grief, and anger. Last, it can help people receive insights from ancestors and loved ones who have transitioned, as well as downloads about work, creativity, finances, relationships, or health conditions.

The Process of Breathing

Before you can understand proper breathing techniques, it is important to know a little about how your body breathes. When you breathe in or inhale, the muscle on the bottom of your ribcage called your diaphragm, contracts and moves downward. This allows the lungs to have ample room to expand. The muscles between your ribs, called the intercostal muscles, contract to pull your ribcage upward and outward. 

As your lungs expand, the air is sucked in through your nose and mouth and travels down your trachea to your lungs. After passing through your bronchial tubes, the air finally reaches the air sacs where oxygen is passed into the bloodstream. At the same time, carbon dioxide travels into the air sacs from the bloodstream and is expelled from the body as you exhale. On average, this process is repeated between 17,000-30,000 a day, every day, as long as a person is alive.

Different Types of Breathwork

Different types of breathwork garner different results. For instance, some seek to relax the body, whereas others increase energy and focus.

1. Controlled Breathing

Controlled breathing refers broadly to the concept of altering one’s natural, automatic breathing pattern. Techniques vary in pattern and length, but they all act as anchors to help participants pay greater attention to their breathing. For example, box breathing involves breathing in four equal-count segments: inhale, hold, exhale, and hold.

2. Circular Breathing

Circular breathing is a breath pattern that consists of long, slow inhales and exhales. The length of inhalation and exhalation should be about the same. This type of breathing is meant to clear energy blocks within the body to foster the movement of energy. Someone might envision the breath coming into the body, flowing through the lower abdomen and then out through the mouth or head. Others might find it more helpful to imagine roots growing from their feet and legs, grounding them in the earth. Those who practice circular breathing can experience cognitive clarity or release trapped emotions and must continue to focus on their breath so that they don’t stall the emotions coming to the surface.

3. Conscious Connected Breathing

This breathing pattern is similar to circular breathing but eliminates the natural pauses in the breath cycle. One pause briefly between inhaling and exhaling and between exhaling and inhaling when breathing naturally. Conscious connected breathing links the inhalation and exhalation in a continuous cycle. Those using this pattern can breathe through either their mouth or nose but must remain consistent throughout the practice. Professionals recommend that breathers not try this pattern independently but with a trained facilitator because it can cause the person to move into an altered consciousness as quickly as after a few breaths.

4. Fast and Full Breathing

This breathing method is similar to conscious connected breathing and can induce an altered state. As such, this should also only be done with a trained facilitator. The person's breathing connects the inhalation and exhalation without pause, but more rapidly than in conscious connected breathing. They should be careful to simply let the exhalation “fall,” rather than forcing it out, as that can cause cramping around the hands and mouth.

5. Deep Relaxation Breathing

Deep relaxation breathing (DRB) is also referred to as diaphragmatic breathing, relaxation breathing, and abdominal breathing. It is used in several fields, including nursing, dentistry, and public health. This type of breathing is usually practiced with eyes closed and does not require the presence of a facilitator. This pattern involves deep inhalations, diaphragm expansion, and slow exhalation. In this practice, people usually inhale for a count of four and pause for a count of seven before exhaling for a count of eight. DRB is known to stimulate the PNS and lessen SNS activity. Research shows that this particular pattern can lower blood pressure, decrease heart rate, and help manage anxiety, aggression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms.

6. Holotropic Breathwork

In the 1970s, psychiatrists Stanislav and Grof developed the holotropic breathing technique to stimulate an altered consciousness. A facilitator guides participants through the session. This practice consists of two main components: prolonged over breathing, or hyperventilation, and music. The music must be evocative, and the client is told to let the music flow and resonates in their body. A practitioner may also use touch, bodywork, group sharing, or artistic expression techniques.

7. Yogic Breathing

Yogic breathing also referred to as pranayama breathing, seeks to connect breath and movement to promote healing through the body-brain connection. Practitioners of yogic breathing must be licensed yoga instructors with specialized breathwork training. This practice alters and controls the breath for specific results via patterns and variations in respiration rates. Usually, yogic breathing practices have specific instructions concerning the number of breaths over a certain time.

8. Shamanic Breathwork

Shamanic breathwork is a sacred practice that combines deep breathing with other ancient wisdom practices. The goal of Shamanic breathwork, which takes place in a ceremony, is to heal deep psychological wounds. Shamanic breathwork ceremony participants begin by establishing a sacred connection by performing rituals such as “smudging with sage, cedar, and sweet grass while offering prayerful invocations.” The one to two hours long session is usually conducted laying down, with rhythmic breathing to traditional drumming. This process may induce an altered state of mind for the participant.

9. Rebirthing Breathwork

Leonard Orr developed rebirthing breathwork beginning in the 1960s to help people break unhealthy patterns in their lives. A guide helps participants through a nine-phase process that encompasses introduction, defense, immersion, inversion, association, insight/epiphany, transliminal, deep relaxation, and return stages. Traumatic memories are primarily processed in the immersion, association, and insight/epiphany phases. Sessions were originally, and sometimes still are, conducted in a tub to simulate the womb.

10. The Wim Hof Method

The Dutch extreme athlete Wim Hof has gained notoriety for his combination of breathing exercises and ice baths. The Wim Hof Method combines circular breathing with long breath holds and meditation. 

3 Simple Breathwork Exercises for Beginners

Breathwork does not have to be complicated. Here are three simple breathwork techniques to try:

1. 4-7-8 Breathing (Relaxing Breath)

This technique was pioneered by integrative doctor Andrew Weil, M.D. It's important to start in a comfortable position, with the lungs completely free of air. Next, practitioners breathe in through the nose (4 seconds), hold their breath (7 seconds), then breathe out through the mouth (8 seconds). This should be repeated at least 4 times and can be done additional times. Some add visualizations to this. These could involve picturing the flow of air in and out of your nose and diaphragm or imagining a soothing landscape like a beach, to help reach a state of relaxation.

2. Box Breathing

Box breathing receives its name because all the breaths are the same length, like the sides of a square. Box breathers, including Navy SEALS, inhale for four slow beats, hold for four slow beats, exhale for four slow beats, then hold that for four slow beats. The whole cycle can be repeated until feelings of calm and focus are fully achieved.

3. Coherent Breathing: the 5-5 Breath

Coherent breathing involves slowing down the pace of breathing to just five slow breaths a minute. This technique reduces anxiety and can help stabilize the heart rate.

Conditions That Breathwork Can Benefit

The benefits of breathwork can include everything from improved immune function to metabolic functioning, emotional regulation, stress management, and improved quality of life and it has been used to treat the following types of conditions:

- Anxiety

- Asthma

- Chronic pain

- Anger issues

- Depression

- Trauma and post-traumatic stress

- Grief and loss

- Emotional effects of physical illness

- Insomnia

- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

- Labor pain

- High blood pressure

- Irritable bowel syndrome symptoms

- Smoking cessation

- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Benefits of Breathwork

Physical Benefits of Breathwork

Controlled breathing works by stimulating the vagus nerve, a nerve that connects the brain to the rest of the body and plays an important role in our parasympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system is part of the body's autonomic nervous system. It controls our "rest and digest" functions and regulates the body's energy and functions like digestion and urination (which, as many of us know, can be directly impacted by mental state). 

When people breathe deeply into their diaphragm in a slow and relaxed manner, the vagus nerve sends a message of calm to the body. Then, according to Scientific American, "the heart rate slows and becomes regular; blood pressure decreases; muscles relax.” When the brain receives these messages, it, too, relaxes, and the result is an overwhelming feeling of peace.

Heart rates can be slowed by controlled breathing, inducing a feeling of stability and calm.

Mental Benefits of Breathwork

The most immediate mental benefits of breathwork are a sense of focus, calm, and increased clarity. The human mind can only concentrate on so much at any one point. When one is focusing on breathing, the focus is diverted from circular or anxiety-inducing thoughts. 

There are promising examples of how different breathing techniques can bring mental health benefits. A breath-based meditation practice known as Sudarshan Kriya yoga, which alternates slow breaths with fast, stimulating ones, has been shown to enhance the effectiveness of prescription medication in combating severe depression. 

The other part of the human nervous system is the sympathetic nervous system, which controls the "fight or flight" responses. Breathing can calm these responses to stress. Studies have also shown that breathing alone can combat job-related emotional exhaustion, stress, anxiety, and depression among patients suffering from chronic back pain. Breathwork can also boost resilience long-term.

Spiritual Benefits of Breathwork

In many ancient languages and systems of thought, "breath" and "spirit" share the same word. In Hebrew, for example, the words "ruach" and "nefesh" are both connected to the breath. In yoga, "pranayama," a system of regulated breathing, comes from two Sanskrit words, "prana," meaning life force, and "yama," meaning control. For thousands of years, controlling the breath has been seen as a way of achieving a more enlightened state.

When in control of their breathing, many people feel more spiritual, more aware, and more in tune with external, cosmic energy. Holotropic breathing, described above, can also feel like a profound experience for many, on par with taking psychedelics and resulting in a feeling of altered consciousness.

6 Ways to Incorporate Breathwork Exercises into Your Daily Routine

If you’re ready to practice breathwork daily, there are several things you can do to work towards building this new habit. Follow these tips to help incorporate breathing exercises into your daily routine:

1. Schedule time(s): Plan the times of day when you want to complete your breathing exercises. This helps you commit to doing them.

2. Start small: A lot of these exercises take practice, so start with the recommended time lengths and work on extending their duration over time.

3. Create a reminder: To keep yourself from missing a session, set up a calendar reminder or leave yourself a visual reminder for your breathing exercises.

4. Take breaks: If you’re struggling to complete an exercise, it’s okay to take a break. Breathe normally and return to your practice after a few minutes. You’re also welcome to get up to do something else and come back to the session later.

5. Switch it up: Practice a wide range of breathing exercises to keep things exciting. This is especially helpful when you’re still trying to turn breathwork into a daily habit.

6. Do what you can: If you forgot to do your daily session, feel free to take a few deep breaths whenever you can. Something is always better than nothing.

10 Common Breathwork Side Effects

Some skeptics have asked: “Is breathwork just hyperventilating?” The answer is that breathwork when practiced properly is safe and will help correct your breathing patterns. However, those who do it incorrectly or ignore safety considerations could be at risk for hyperventilation and various other side effects.

These are the side effects to be mindful of if you’re concerned that breathwork might cause hyperventilation or other issues:

1. Dizziness

Dizziness is one of the most common side effects. Doing breathwork improperly can limit the amount of oxygen entering the body, resulting in feelings of dizziness and lightheadedness. If this happens frequently, be cautious of the exercises you’re choosing to do and be sure that you’ve been breathing correctly during them.

‍2. Tingling of extremities

Another sign that you might be experiencing hyperventilation is a tingling sensation in your arms, hands, feet, and/or legs. This is also due to having less oxygen in your body, which affects your blood circulation. Be mindful if this is something you begin to experience.

‍3. Chest pain

Chest pain can result from the way breathwork changes how the respiratory and circulatory systems function. It should never be ignored – if you start to experience chest pain, you’ll want to stop your breathwork practice immediately and try to relax. While chest pain is likely to subside with proper breathing and relaxation, be sure to seek help if it doesn’t go away.

‍4. Racing or irregular heartbeat

Noticeable changes to your heart rate, including palpitations, can be another sign that you’re experiencing breathwork-related hyperventilation. Those who are prone to heart issues are best to avoid breathwork, especially if they’ve previously experienced these sorts of irregular heart rates. If your heart begins to race – or you notice another abnormal change to its rhythm – while practicing breathwork, be sure to stop and relax. And be sure to seek help if any of these heart irregularities continue.

‍5. Muscle spasms

During some advanced breathwork techniques, some might experience muscle spasms in their diaphragm or hands, or around their mouth. This is also caused by the change in oxygen levels being inhaled. If spasms occur, be sure to slow down your breathing and attempt to relax. This will help calm your muscles down.

‍6. Clouded vision

The changes in breath resulting from advanced breathwork can also cause blurred vision. Although concerning, this is only temporary. If you notice changes to your vision when practicing a breathwork technique, stop immediately and return to slow, deep breathing. This will allow more oxygen into your body.

‍7. Ringing in your ears

Ringing in the ears is another possible side effect when practicing more advanced breathwork techniques, especially for those who struggle with tinnitus. It’s most often seen with breathwork techniques meant to limit oxygen intake or change body temperature. If you experience this sensation during breathwork, take it as a sign to stop and switch to regular deep breathing.

‍8. Increased distress

Some advanced breathwork techniques are used for therapeutic purposes and have the potential to evoke negative emotions and past trauma. While many people find this helpful, others may experience more distress than relief. Be sure to reflect on your situation, and consult with professionals to determine if breathwork is more helpful than harmful to your particular scenario.

‍9. Psychosis

Many advanced breathwork techniques can create new spiritual experiences. While some people experience healing, some might have a negative experience of psychosis. Before participating in a session, workshop, or retreat, do your research and speak with a professional to determine if the experiences offered are psychologically safe for you to experience.

‍10. Seizures

While slow, deep breathing can help manage seizures, those prone to them still need to be cautious. They should carefully select the breathwork exercises they practice, and make sure to do them properly. Changes to oxygen levels can trigger a seizure in some cases, so it’s important to be mindful of what specific exercises and techniques entail. Those who are concerned should consult their doctor before beginning any type of breathwork practice or participating in a session, workshop, or retreat.

What to Expect to Feel in a Breathwork Session

Breathwork is energy work and as you begin the breath pattern, your body may start to feel like it is coming ALIVE with energy. It’s also very common at some point during the session to feel like you are being pushed up against some resistance (stuck or stagnant energy) that might show up in the form of tightness, tension, or emotional release. Keep breathing, you want to get that energy moving. 

Here are some common feelings and reactions the body can experience throughout your session:

1. Temperature Fluctuations - it is normal for your body temperature to fluctuate from hot to cold as fear is being released from the body

2. Body Stiffening - The body can tighten and contract in places that commonly hold blockages - the mouth and lips, the hands and arms (tetany), the legs and feet, and the hips.

3. Tingling - It is very common for the body to begin tingling either all over or in certain areas, depending on where energy is moving.

4. Movement - during the session, your body may shake, vibrate, and move around. Listen to your body!

5. Releases - you may feel the need to release energy through crying, laughing, and screaming. All of this is a part of the energetic release.

6. Muscle tightness - energy can collect in the body and create a traffic jam. The area may become knotted, tight, or sore. This usually passes within a few minutes of returning to a relaxed breath.

7. Emotions - the process is about releasing the emotions that are on the surface. With the breathwork practice, we are getting under the fears and anxieties that are stuck so this may get uncomfortable. I encourage students to commit to the practice and soften their breath if things start to feel too uncomfortable.

You may experience some of these or you may experience none. Your experience will change from session to session and person to person. Know that all of these experiences are temporary and you can use your breath to move through them. Again, the beautiful part about breathwork is if it ever becomes too uncomfortable, you can return to a relaxed breath, it doesn’t ‘ruin’ the session.

Sources:

Sofia Health

Healthline

Art of Living

Gyroscope

The Human Condition

Othership

Soulbody

MBG Mindfulness

Mindfulness

What Sarah Likes

Parade

Elliot Physical Therapy

Breathe With JP

 

The content herein is provided for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Medical information changes constantly, and therefore the content on this website should not be assumed to be current, complete or exhaustive. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment. If you think you may have a medical emergency, please call your doctor or 9-1-1 (in the United States) immediately.