What’s the first thing you say when trying to calm someone down?
→ Take a deep breath.
That’s because taking a moment to breathe fully during a stressful situation does a lot more than make us pause and think.
By focusing on slow, conscious breaths we can interrupt the nervous system’s stress response and intentionally help our bodies to relax.
People have been using breathwork for thousands of years but, recent research has proven how powerful a daily breathing practice can be.
What is breathwork?
Pause for a moment and notice your breath.
Take a short breath in through your nose. Then, exhale completely out of your mouth. Repeat.
That’s breathwork.
It’s the art and science of consciously controlling our breathing patterns to improve our mental and physical health.
Benefits of breathwork
- Balance the nervous system and feel more in control of your life
- Strengthen your abs
- Reduce stress levels
- Increase natural energy throughout the day
- Reduce blood pressure
- Boost creativity
How does it work?
Whether it’s two minutes or ten, taking time each day to focus on slow, intentional breaths creates space between our nerves so that communication within the body is calmer and clearer.
That’s why breathwork often helps people to feel more in tune with their bodies.
Most of the 22,000 breaths we take each day are automatic. The body's automatic breathing tends to be shallow, which isn’t good for anxiety or stress management.
The deep cycles of the breath remind the body that cycles are a part of life, and that everything is going to be ok.
A daily breathing practice can make your body and mind more resilient by exercising the nervous system and preparing you to handle adversity with intention, rather than reaction.
How do I begin a breathwork practice?
There are so many resources out there it can be difficult to know where to begin.
That’s why I’ve created these three free short videos that can be done in 2, 5 or 10 minutes!
Or, check out my better breathing blogs:
👉🏼 To learn 3 practices to get out of fight-or-flight and regulate the nervous system, click here.
👉🏼 To learn more about why breath is important and how it can help you reduce stress or anxiety, read my blog on diaphragmatic breathing.
👉🏼 To learn more about how to use breathing as a tool for health and well-being, check out my blog on pranayama.
To learn how to strengthen your core using your breath, grab my free guide 👇🏻
Cheers to breath magic ✌🏻
-Jessi rose
Hi I’m Jessi,
For the past 10 years, I’ve been teaching yoga as a tool to help people reframe their relationship with movement. Yoga changed my life - it rescued me from cycles of chronic pain & anxiety attacks. And now, the mindfulness of yoga is a foundation of everything I teach.
As a Holistic Fitness Trainer, my goal is to inspire people to love their bodies, so they can live pain-free, motivated & connected.
A big part of what I do is: 200-hour Yoga Teacher Trainings, virtual workshops & yoga retreats with Stella Luna Yoga, click here to learn more.
The list of my experience & training continues to grow. My coaching style focuses on strong foundations of body awareness & stabilization. I combine techniques from Yoga, Pilates, Strength Training, Massage Therapy & Mindfulness to craft well thought out & customized training plans to support all clients. To read more about my certifications, click here.