Breathwork is one of the simplest yet most effective mindfulness tools to help you tune into your body and calm a busy mind. But if you’ve never tried it, the idea can sound dubious. You just breathe and it works? Really? As it turns out, yes but there’s a little more to it than that.
I spoke to Sophia Drozd, a yoga teacher and founder of the Yoga for Pain app (Y4P), who is on a mission to make yoga more accessible for people with chronic illnesses. She is a passionate advocate for breathwork, especially for those who experience chronic pain or energy-limiting illnesses and who might find a full yoga flow too demanding.
“Breath is such an important tool,” says Drozd. “It's a fundamental tool for yoga, but it's also a free resource. Breathwork can help us to regulate sensations of pain and improve our sleep quality, encouraging our bodies to find a sense of calm and relaxation.”
As someone who has always found the idea of sitting down to just breathe a bit unappealing (there’s so much more I could be doing!) I asked Drozd how to begin building a daily practice. It turns out, that starting small is the trick.
Where to start with breathwork
“If you can, commit to a daily practice no matter what shape or size duration that takes,” says Drozd. “Stay curious and start small. It's incredible how a small practice can make a big difference.”
She recommends building up to 20 minutes of breathwork for the best results but accepts that that’s a big ask for some people (me included). “It all comes down to the person, what they feel they’re capable of and are comfortable doing. If you only want to do one minute, two minutes or five minutes, go for it. I would recommend that you commit yourself to daily practice, but it doesn't have to be a massive commitment.”
Drozd recommends the humming bee breath (bhramari pranayama) for anyone who feels particularly overwhelmed or struggling with pain. This simple technique involves making a gentle humming sound on your exhalation.
“Humming releases feel-good hormones as well as acting as an anchor for the mind,” says Drozd. Focusing can be particularly hard when in pain, so the hum gives the mind something to focus on and can act as a distraction from whirling thoughts. “It's a way to inform your brain that you are ok.”
Drozd suggests starting with five humming exhalations before pausing to return to your natural breathing pattern. If those five breaths feel good, go for another round.
“Once you are more comfortable with the breath practice you can explore increasing the repetitions to 10 for up to five rounds.”
How to do humming bee breath
- Be in a comfortable seated position with your torso upright.
- Close your eyes or soften your gaze.
- Raise your arms, elbows out to the sides and plug your ears with your index or middle fingers. Alternatively, press the flaps of your ears over your ear holes.
- Inhale through the nose, then as you exhale make a deep, steady humming sound like a bee.
- Make the humming sound smooth and even for the duration of your exhalation.
- Keep your hands where they are to repeat another round or rest them on the lap in between rounds.
- After completing all rounds, observe the sensations in your body and the effects of the sound vibrations.
Always approach any new practice without pressure or judgment. And don’t forget, just the act of conscious, mindful breathing can be enough to settle the body and mind and find a moment of calm.
