What is Breathwork and Why is Everyone Obsessed With It?
The science of how breathing can combat inflammation, improve your mood, and get you (slightly) high.
Modern breathwork is exploding. Here’s what you need to know.
Part 1: What is Breathwork?
Breathwork is any practice in which we consciously manipulate our breath over a period of time for a desired outcome.
Breathwork is not meditation or yoga, though it can be a component of each one.
It has its origins in ancient rituals. Most notably from Pranayama (literally meaning “controlling the breath” — Sanskrit) in Yoga from the ancient Vedic texts from India. Pranayama has over 50 techniques of controlling the breath — each meant for a specific purpose. (Common ones you may know from yoga class → Ujjayi Breath, Breath of Fire, Belly Breathing.)
Today, breathing exercises have evolved into a modern practice that can be done on its own (without yoga or meditation). Breathwork practices manipulate the breath through different patterns, lengths, and repetitions of inhalation, exhalation, and retention (holding your breath).
After years of studying breathwork, I’ve tried to make sense of this smorgasbord of information out on the internet for you. So, disclaimer: the following are my categorizations, not scientific ones!
While most people think “breathwork” is a single activity in and of itself — it’s actually more like yoga — where there’s different modalities within the higher level taxonomy, and each has unique benefits — e.g. power yoga, restorative, Bikram, etc.
Think of the general concept of “breathwork” as a Swiss army knife that you can pull out at any time and find the right technique for whatever you’re dealing with.
For simplicity’s sake, most breathing techniques can be categorized into two different types I’ll call “Slow Breathing” & “Fast Breathing”.
Slow Breathing:
- Primary Feeling: Relaxed
- Stress Response: Lowers cortisol
- Benefits: Immediate stress reduction, stimulates vagus nerve, calms mood
- Examples: belly breathing, box breath, 4–7–8 breathing, alternate nostril breathing
Fast Breathing:
- Primary Feeling: Alert (increases adrenaline)
- Stress Response: Increases cortisol (short term)
- Benefits: Stimulates immune response, lowers inflammation
- Examples: Wim Hof breathing, holotropic breathwork, breath of fire, modern breathwork studios & classes, hyperventilation
A Note on Timing: Breathwork is usually either done in very short (2 minute) segments or longer (1+ hour) experiences — rarely in the middle (except Wim’s method — more on that later!). Simple deep breathing exercises can be done at your desk at work but more involved fast breathing “workouts” generally take up to 1 hour or more. If you attend a breathwork class, prepare to be there for 1 or 1.5 hours and be breathing intensely for 45 mins.
Part 2: What are the benefits of breathwork?
While the science is still catching up, here’s what we do know.
1. Alkalizes Your Blood
This is where most of the physiologic changes we experience actually stem from. During rapid, fast breathing, we rapidly inhale more oxygen and exhale more CO2 (an acidic molecule) than normal. This ultimately increases our blood pH towards a more alkaline (basic) pH, and we enter temporary state called “respiratory alkalosis”. (Insert #basic jokes here 😂) This counteracts “respiratory acidosis” in which you feel feelings of sleepiness, confusion, headache.
2. Improves Immunity & Reduces Inflammation
Fast breathing in particular stimulates the immune system and decreases our (usually turned on) inflammatory response. Why is this important? In today’s world, most people unconsciously develop chronic inflammation, which can be the breeding ground for disease. So lowering inflammation can be hugely beneficial for overall health.
3. Builds Resilience
Fast breathing spikes cortisol (fight or flight hormone). While chronically high or flat-lining cortisol is unhealthy, temporary spikes in cortisol can be healthy — like working out. Just like lifting weights is resistance training for your muscles, intense breathwork creates minor stressors in different body systems (immune, respiratory, inflammatory) that causes your body to get stronger in those areas over time.
4. Gets You Slightly High :)
In fast breathing, you can feel a little high! The science explains it this way: The more oxygen we take in, the less we can deliver to our tissues (Bohr Effect). 🤯 Within 1 minute of hyperventilation, blood vessels in the brain constrict and reduces blood flow and oxygen delivery to the brain by 40%. Slight oxygen deprivation = lightheaded / high feeling. (Think what happens at high altitude)
5. And Makes You Happy!
More science is needed to explain this — but it’s believed that breathing can affect key *pleasure* neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. Many people who practice breathwork report improved mood.
Anecdotally, the first time I did Wim Hof’s breathing method, I had no expectations — just curiosity. After the first round of breathing, I was struck by the most overwhelming feelings of happiness, joy, and extreme love for everything! I’m not exaggerating. (And I know it sounds a little woo woo, but it’s true!) Not placebo either because I didn’t even know this was a side effect other’s felt as well! This feeling is the most prominent benefit I personally receive from it.
6. Assists in Reversing Chronic Illnesses
There’s testimonials from people who’ve used the Wim Hof Method to help with everything from multiple sclerosis to fibromyalgia to rheumatoid arthritis to Lyme disease to autoimmune related paralysis to diabetes to depression & anxiety. These videos will lift you up.
7. Improves Attention & Mental Health 🧠
Diaphramagamatic breathing improves attention and reduces stress. [NIH 2017] It also has been scientifically proven to significantly decrease negative self affect — meaning negative self-talk and self-image. Basically, a therapist — for free! Breathing is the ultimate productivity hack.
And so much more. But I’ll leave this as a teaser! You just have to try it.
[⚠️ Disclaimer — Breathwork is NOT advised if you have a known cardiac arrhythmia (including very slow heart rate), a history of heart block, or are taking certain antipsychotic medications.]
Part 3: My Personal Favorite Breathing Techniques & When to Use Them.
Interested? Want to be smarter, happier, and healthier…for free? Here’s how you can get started.
1. Wim Hof in the Morning
Wim Hof’s Method truly feels unique. It energizes me and puts me in a positive mood. It’s a little too pump up for me to do before bed and a little too intrusive to do at my desk at work. You can watch videos online or join his 10 week course! (Make sure to NOT do this before a shower or in water, btw.)
2. 4–7–8 At My Desk at Work
4–7–8 breathing takes literally 2 minutes, helps me pause, and can get me out of flight-or-fight mode in a snap.
3. Alternate Nostril Breathing when I’m Really Stressed
When 4–7–8 isn’t enough, alternate nostril breathing (from yoga) works wonders since it forcefully slows down the breath and clears nasal pathways.
4. O-P-E-N When I Want the Full Experience or a Community
An hour long breathwork and sound meditation experience in San Francisco. One of my good friends started this, and I must say — it’s fantastic. Especially if you haven’t had a true “breathwork” experience before. I dragged Alex (my bf) there, who was not excited to say the least— but afterwards was blown away by the experience and what it did to him physically and mentally.
5. The Refuge Spa in Carmel for a Getaway
Not technically breathwork, but a perfect place to incorporate it! And possibly my favorite place on earth. No technology and no talking allowed. Entirely outdoor hot-cold cycle experience & is BEAUTIFUL. I incorporate meditation and breathwork through the cycles. Pro tip — take a significant other!
Let me know if you try any of these! I’d love to hear! Feel free to email me.
Love, Tara
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