Ever felt so stressed or angry that you wanted to breathe fire? Nostrils open like a fire-breathing dragon, tongue out like a lion, and a chest filled with air is how we imagine breathwork. It’s a handy technique that most people don’t know about, and those who know about it refrain from these due to social anxiety. If you are looking for the breathwork basics—techniques for calm and clarity—this article is written for you.
We shall discuss
- Breathwork and its basics
- Benefits
- How to start
- Techniques
- Who should avoid them?
Let’s get right to it.
BREATHWORK BASICS
Breathwork is defined as
“The technique to intentionally control breathing for physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.”
People usually carry out this technique in stressful situations to benefit from the science behind it. It’s similar to using a certain body’s mechanisms against some other body’s mechanisms.
Breathwork has immense benefits, which are described later on. Social anxiety is one of the biggest factors stopping people from using this technique. The fear of being judged and stereotypical norms also play a big role in that.
Have you ever been worried about people judging you on certain things? Let us know.
The basics of breathwork just include simple ways to control the pattern of your breathing. No matter how complex it sounds, just trust yourself enough to actually ace it, and YOU WILL!
BENEFITS
Breathwork has a long list of benefits, but we will be discussing some important and distinguishing ones here.
Better mental focus: Breathwork casts its first magic on mental focus. It makes you concentrate better on the things at hand.
Improved sleep: Breathwork increases the efficiency of sleep and lets you sleep peacefully, and this ultimately makes the body recover quicker.
Pain reduction: These patterns act against the general pain sensations and create a sense of tranquillity.
Improved lung function: No hard guesses there; if lungs are actively involved in breathwork, then there is no trouble in guessing they would function better.
Decreased addictions: Addictions and addictive behaviours tend to push us away from peace and inevitably into the abyss of stress. Breathwork acts as a saviour and pulls us out.
Balanced blood pressure: Blood pressure rises and falls with the expiration and inspiration of air, respectively. These manoeuvres help stabilise it in the long run.
Improved immune system: Breathwork causes a boost in immunity due to various oxidative compounds leaving the body.
Improved stamina: Exercise and physical fitness are vastly amplified through breathwork in normal day-to-day routines.
Healing: Breathwork heals your emotional scars better than anything else. The relief you feel after that is proof that it actually works.
All of these and more benefits will be yours to gather once you excel in breathwork with discipline and consistency.
Now that we know the benefits, it’s easier to go a step ahead and learn about the first pace and the proceeding steps.
HOW TO START
Follow these steps to take the limiting factors out of the equation:
- Find someplace quiet and peaceful, preferably without any distractions and noise. This will help you focus much better.
- An empty mind cannot be enforced; refrain from trying too hard. Adapt to your thoughts and learn to accept them.
- Focus on some word to separate yourself from distracting thoughts and keep repeating it in your head while isolating yourself from everything else for a moment.
After you have accomplished this, move to the different techniques of breathwork.
TECHNIQUES
The long-awaited moment has arrived; let’s have a look at the techniques of breathwork and try to implement them in a straightforward manner.
BOX BREATHING:
Let’s start with the simplest one. It’s also known as the 4-4-4 breathing technique. It consists of the following steps:
- Inhale for 4 seconds.
- Hold your breath for 4 seconds.
- Exhale for 4 seconds.
Repeat as many times as you want until you feel like it’s enough.
PURSED LIP BREATHING:
It reduces your stress levels considerably and is beneficial for patients with asthma and other pulmonary diseases.
- Pinch your lips inward (as in a kiss).
- Inhale through your nose.
- Exhale through pursed lips.
Repeat as much as you want.
LIONS BREATH:
It has been shown to relieve anxiety levels and help with stress conditions.
- Inhale through your nose.
- Stick your tongue out.
- Exhale while making a haaaa sound.
It does appear a bit hysterical at first sight, but it’s actually beneficial.
BUMBLEBEE BREATH:
It is also known as Bhramari Pranayama. It has the following steps:
- Inhale through your nose.
- Place your index finger on your ears.
- Make a humming sound as you exhale.
FIVE FINGERS BREATHING:
It induces relaxation in the body with the following steps:
- Inhale through your nose.
- Hold your breath.
- Start tracing your other hand with your fingers while you exhale.
It will also involve your sensation of touch, giving off a more peaceful vibe.
BELLOWS BREATH:
Bellows breath actually wakes you up from a state of tiredness and sleepiness.
- Make fists and hold your elbows near your ribs.
- Inhale while moving the fists above your head.
- Exhale while bringing them down.
In case you feel awkward while performing this, find a safe spot or any convenient place you feel comfortable in.
BODY SCAN BREATH:
- Inhale deeply while in a comfortable sitting or lying position.
- Hold your breath for a few seconds.
- Exhale, but as you do that, imagine scanning your different body parts, one by one. For example, moving from your toes upward till your head.
This will cause a deep wave of relaxation throughout the body.
These were the techniques for breathwork. There are some contraindications, as in medicine. People with certain disorders cannot perform these techniques.
WHO SHOULD AVOID THEM
People suffering from
- Asthma
- Heart disease
- Epilepsy
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Stroke
And other major diseases should avoid these as it may cause further complications. Consult your doctor for better advice.
CONCLUSION—IT’S WORTH IT
Breathwork is a natural remedy to alleviate stress, anxiety, and other phenomena that are troublesome. These techniques are simple yet effective and make for good holistic medication.
What do you think your levels of stress are? Do you need to feel relaxed sometimes too? Journal it down, demarcate it, and focus on making it better for yourself.
Let us know which technique appeals to you the most.
