As a self-declared wellness girlie, breathwork has been on my radar for a while. It has always sounded easy enough, you just lay there and breathe, right? It turns out, there’s a lot more to it. I was lucky enough to take a beginner breathwork class with Nike Well Collective Yoga trainer, therapist and breathwork instructor Zoe Klein about a month ago — and I’ve been intrigued by (and practising) breathwork ever since.
So, what is breathwork?
According to Zoe, Breathwork is an umbrella term for any kind of conscious manipulation of our respiration:
“I think of my personal breathwork practice as a set of ongoing conscious practices that support my body’s optimal way of breathing and feeling. Conscious breathing is a really accessible way to cultivate mindfulness and the presence of the mind.”
Are there different styles of breathwork?
Similar to other wellness practices, like Yoga and Pilates, there are many schools and styles of breathwork and hundreds of different breathing techniques. “In some cases, there are even different names for the same techniques,” says Zoe. “Broadly speaking, there are a few core styles of breathwork.”
First is functional breathing or breathing retraining. “These techniques are oriented around restoring the natural way of breathing,” explains Zoe. “This is a response to the poor breathing habits that have been culturally adopted throughout history.”
“Poor breathing is a massively under-appreciated health crisis. Learning to retrain the way we breathe is vital to physical and mental health. These practices are usually very subtle, soft and slow. They also prescribe nose breathing as a non-negotiable and include things like mouth taping when sleeping.”
Secondly is stressor techniques. These are geared towards creating a controlled state of discomfort by activating and sustaining a ‘low dose’ stress response. “This enhances the body’s ability to cope with more severe stressors and increases our resilience to stressful situations,” says Zoe. “These practices often involve periods of hyperventilation (heavy fast breathing) mixed with breath-holding. The Wim Hof method is an example of this.”
And finally, there are spiritual or transcendental practices. “These practices are built upon altering our states of consciousness to facilitate profound psychological, emotional and spiritual experiences,” explains Zoe — think structured breathing patterns, guided meditation, and somatic exploration to promote personal growth and healing.
What happens during a session?
According to Zoe, it really depends on the style of breathwork that we’re practising.
“Our breathing patterns are a way of accessing different branches of the autonomic nervous system. This includes activating either the sympathetic (fight/flight) or parasympathetic (rest/digest). We can think of our inhale like the accelerator pedal, and the exhale like the brake. During a breathwork session, we might breathe slowly and softly to induce a relaxation response in the body, or we might breathe deeply and heavily to activate an intentional stress response. Oftentimes, we will do both.”
She continues to explain how a well-rounded breathwork session might involve an initial period of relaxation, followed by a series of warm-up breathing techniques to help the nervous system relax and let your mind settle. Often times this will be followed by a sustained period of heavy fast breathing, which can feel slightly uncomfortable at first. These types of practices teach us to relax into discomfort and increase our resilience towards stress.
“There are also a number of interesting physiological changes that happen when we ‘hyperventilate’, such as a decrease in CO2 levels resulting in an increase in blood PH, which is said to decrease inflammation and boost the immune system,” Zoe says.
“Some breathwork practices will include breath holding which also has a host of physiological benefits. After periods of heavy breathing, it is important to push on the brake pedal again by coming back to slow and gentle breathing. Once the nervous system has settled back into rest, it can be helpful to take a few minutes of stillness. During this time, people are encouraged to integrate and reflect on their experiences.”
Zoe notes that it is important to state that this is just one example. “Our culture tends to popularise things that are extravagant and noisy. We aren’t as interested in the gentle things because they require a lot of stillness and focus. But some of the most powerful breathwork practices are the ones that look the least fancy.”
Different teachers and instructors will practise different styles, so it’s about figuring out which style or practise connects for you. For example, Zoe is a yoga teacher and practitioner, so she favours yogic pranayama techniques that are incredibly simple. These include alternate nostril breathing, and ujjayi breathing — to name a few examples.
“For me, it is these simple practices that are helping me to retrain my day-to-day breath – and it’s how I am breathing in the 24 hours of my day that is going to have the greatest impact on my life.”
How do you participate in breathwork?
Depending on the context, breathwork can be done both seated or lying down. For some of the longer-form breathwork practices, Zoe explains that it’s common to lie down with the support of cushions and blankets. For the more intense styles and longer breathwork sessions, it is imperative that we feel comfortable, relaxed and not distracted by our posture.
The best way to understand what happens during breathwork is to try it for yourself. Zoe recommends some of the breathwork sessions on the Nike Training Club app — and they’re free!
Is breathwork safe?
Generally speaking, breathwork is incredibly safe, according to Zoe. “We’re all already breathing, always (and ideally for as long as humanly possible). However, there are some contraindications around certain breathwork practices for certain people. This includes pregnancy and underlying medical conditions such as epilepsy or respiratory or cardiovascular issues. Like engaging in anything new and different, it can be important to consult a healthcare practitioner before diving right in.”
Zoe goes on to explain that for anyone with a history of mental health issues, such as chronic anxiety or panic attacks, she usually recommends seeking 1:1 guidance before engaging a bigger group classes. “Breathwork can be such a wonderful (and often overlooked) resource for those recovering from trauma. However, it is crucial that these practices are done under the care of an experienced, well-trained trauma-informed practitioner.”
What are the benefits of breathwork?
There are so many benefits of breathwork, Zoe’s personal favourite is the connection to self. “We’re always breathing. But how often are we paying attention? Learning to become sensitive to our moment-to-moment experience through the vehicle of the body is a magical skill in our distractible world. Our breath is a mirror of our life. When we learn to trace and track the quality of our breath, it provides valuable insights into the state of our nervous system. Too much stress is incredibly harmful, so learning to catch stress in the moment and shift it through the way we breathe becomes like a superpower!”
According to experts, including Zoe, it’s estimated that the majority of the Western population is breathing poorly. “This has detrimental effects on our health and wellbeing. For me, retraining myself to breathe efficiently has helped me to feel more calm and collected, I sleep deeper, recover fast and generally take better care of myself.”
Some other key benefits of breathwork include stress reduction, emotional release, increased mindfulness, enhanced mental clarity, and improved physical health — including but not limited to lung function and respiratory health. Zoe also thinks with the rise in popularity of breathwork that there is a massive community benefit.
“Coming together with others who are interested in self-optimization is a great way to network and make new friends. Something I have learnt through my psychotherapy practice is just how lonely people are. Loneliness has been linked to various physical health problems, including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, obesity, and weakened immune function. The American Psychological Association (APA) reports that loneliness and social isolation are associated with a greater risk of depression, anxiety, and suicide.”
If you’re into it, breathwork can also be a spiritual practice, helping us to feel connected to something greater than ourselves.
How can I start an at-home practice?
One of the best parts about breathwork is just how accessible it is, says Zoe. “You can practise anywhere, any time. The first thing is prioritisation. We’re all busy, so you need to figure out how to slot breathwork into your schedule. You don’t need long, even just 5 minutes can have profound benefits. Once you’ve found the time, take the pressure off, it’s pretty hard to get wrong.”
We asked Zoe to share some of her favourite go-to techniques for you to try at home.
This one is great for any time of day
- Set a timer for 5 minutes
- Lying down or sitting up, breathe in for 5 seconds and out for 5 seconds
When feeling stressed or overwhelmed:
- Set a timer for just a few minutes
- Breathe in for a count of 4 and out for a count of 6. Build this up to in for 4 and out for 8
When you’re in need of a pick-me-up:
- Take 5 deep heavy breaths (nose or mouth)
- Inhale and hold your breath for 5 seconds
- Exhale and hold your breath for as long as possible. Let your breath neutralise
- Repeat this a couple of times
Zoe advises that it can sometimes be more useful to use guided practices, particularly when getting started. “The free Nike Training Club app has an abundance of incredible breathwork practices which I always recommend. There is an incredible network of global trainers to help you on your way.”
Zoe’s favourites to look out for are:
- Recovery breath with Jonah. “I love this because it is just 2 minutes. Everyone has 2 minutes.”
- 7-minute energising breathwork. “This is great because sometimes motivation is low when we need energy, so having Rosie in my ears solves that problem.”
- Breathwork for sleep. “Sleep is a crucial component to well-being and many of us struggle with it. This practice should help you drift to sleep with ease,” says Zoe.
My overall experience
As someone who is just dipping their toe into breathwork, I can confirm that intentional breathing is a simple, yet unique and interesting experience. I’ve only been practicing for a few months now, but I’ve noticed such a huge difference in my mental state and my breathing practices. I catch myself breathing so much more intentionally throughout the day, in stressful moments and when I exercise.
It’s also such a calming way to start or end your day. Plus, because I’m so focused on the breath, I tend not to overthink and let the anxious thoughts that usually fill my brain, pop in.
Image Credit: Nike ANZ / Bree Grant
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