What Is Breathwork & How Does It Work?

Breathwork has become a bit of a buzzword amongst those in the health and wellness world. Maybe you’ve taken a yoga class where you do different breathing exercises or heard something about Whim Hoff, who has a cult-like following for his infamous breathwork techniques.

The popularity of breathwork is quickly rising, and for good reason so. It’s much more than simple breathing exercises. Breathwork is something that can seriously transform your life. It’s comprised of several different techniques that are used for healing both body and mind.

What Is Breathwork?

Breathwork is the act of consciously manipulating your breath for a set period of time through various breathing methods. Breathwork isn’t yoga and it’s not meditation. But it is an integral aspect of each.

There are many types of breathwork techniques, some of which have been used for thousands of years. While modern day breathwork might be a bit different than the ancient teachings, the premise of breathwork is the same.

Most modern types of breathwork are part of the spiritual science of yoga philosophy, where pranayama is a central component. The word pranayama is derived from two Sanskrit words: 

• Prana (life force energy, the breath) 
• Yama (restraint, control, breath control)

There are several pranayama techniques techniques. Some of the most common include, Ujjayi (ocean’s breath), Nadi Shodhana (alternative nostril breathing), Agni Pran (breath of fire), Simha (lion's breath) and others.

These pranayama breathing exercises are practiced widely, however, modern breathwork has evolved to include several other breathing techniques use the breath for holistic healing.

How Does Breathwork Work? 

Breathwork uses the power of intentional breathing to influence your mental, emotional, and physical states. Engaging in breathwork involves consciously manipulating the breath to create specific effects.

Deep, slow breathing, for example signals the brain to calm down, reducing cortisol levels and activating the vagus nerve, which supports relaxation and emotional balance.

By altering your breathing patterns, you directly impact the autonomic nervous system, shifting between the sympathetic (fight or flight) and parasympathetic (rest and digest) states. This shift helps reduce stress, promote relaxation, and increase overall wellbeing. 

On a cellular level, breathwork increases oxygen intake, boosting energy production and aiding in detoxification. It can also help release emotions stored in the body by activating deeper parts of the nervous system.

Techniques like diaphragmatic breathing, box breathing, or alternate nostril breathing encourage a steady flow of oxygen to the brain, enhancing focus and clarity. Over time, regular breathwork practice can improve resilience to stress, support sleep, and elevate mood. .

Breathwork Isn't Meditation

If you’ve meditated before, you're aware of the steady stream of incessent thoughts in the mind. Often referred to as “monkey mind,” constant mind chatter is like a bunch of drunk monkeys, swinging back and forth on tree branches, constantly chattering and bouncing around nonstop. 

Basically, the mind never really stops thinking. But you can learn to control this steady stream of thoughts through various breathwork techniques. 

Unlike meditation, which typically focuses on observing or quieting the mind, breathwork actively engages the body to influence mental and emotional states. Through the manipulation of the breath, you're given a tool that anchors your thoughts and guides your mind towards calm and clarity.

5 Simple Breathwork Techniques

If you’re new to breathwork, starting with some of the more simple breathwork techniques is recommended for the best results. Following are five simple breathing practices to get you started: 

1. 4-2-6 Breath

In this simple breathwork technique, inhale for a count of 4, hold for a count of 2 and exhale for a count of 6. The main objective of 4-2-6 is to pause after each inhalation and make your exhalation longer than your inhalation.

2. Deep Belly Breathing

To practice deep breathing, lying down on the floor works best but can also be done in a seated position. If you choose to lay down, place on hand on your belly and one hand on your heart, inhaling slowly for a count of 10 and exhaling deeply for another count of 10. You’ll feel the belly expand on each inhalation and gently fall on each exhalation. Doing this for just 5-10 minutes can have a significant effect on the way you feel.

3. Equal Breathing

In those moments you need to find some balance in your life, equal breathing can help. Equal breathing is known as sama vritti in Sanskrit and is practiced just as its name implies: each inhalation and each exhalation are of equal length. To practice equal breathing, find a length of breath that is comfortable for you so you can keep it up through the entire practice. Typically each inhalation will be between 3-6 counts.

4. Box Breathing

Box breathing, also known as square breathing, is a simple yet powerful breathwork technique that calms body and mind, reducing stress, improving focus, and activating the parasympathetic nervous system. It's done by inhaling for a count of four, holding the breath for a count of four, exhaling for a count of four, and pausing for another count of four before repeating the cycle. Repeat for 5-10 rounds. 

5. Ocean's Breath 

Ocean's breath, or Ujjayi breath is typically one of the first pranayama techniques taught in yoga classes. It is an excellent introduction to pranayama and is called “ocean’s breath” for the soft ocean-like whisper it produces in the throat. It's also referred to as “victorious breath” as it allows for victory over the thoughts in the mind. 

To perform ocean's breath, inhale deeply through the nose and exhale deeply through the nose, constricting the throat to make a soft whispering sound. It’s similar to if you were to open your mouth and exhale to fog up a mirror held in front of the mouth, only the mouth stays closed. The tone of the breath becomes steady and smooth, much resembling the sound of the ebb and flow of the ocean’s tide.

The Benefits of Breathwork

Breathwork has shown to increase inner peace, clarity, balance, and connection to one's self and others. It's extremely effective for supporting anxiety, depression, fear and grief. 

Over the past five years, Google searches for “breathwork” have increased exponentially. Most breathwork experts maintain this upward trend is connected to the very tangible results manipulating the breath offers. Some techniques can work quickly, offering a sense of overall wellbeing, relaxation and peace after just one session.

Science backs up what breathwork practitioners experience. Research shows that by making your exhalation two seconds longer than your inhalation, the parasympathetic nervous system is activated, lowering heart rate and relaxting physical tension. 

Deep breathing, or diaphragmatic breathing, is another technique research shows contains serious potential for wellbeing. It helps increase attention both during breathing exercise and after breathwork is complete. Deep breathing also reduces cortisol, the body's stress hormone that's directly what’s responsible for feelings of “fight or flight.”

Last Thoughts

Think about it like this. Breath is life. You can go for weeks without food and days without water, but you must breathe in order to live.

You can try all the stress management tricks in the book, but if you don’t control your breathing, your nervous system doesn’t know it’s time to relax. By controlling the breath, you can ultimately control the mind and your emotions to live your best life.