Breathe your way to a happier, calmer you

Breathing is a thing we do without thinking; it keeps us alive. But there is far more to this most basic of biological functions. Conscious breathing can reduce stress, anxiety and depression and prevent insomnia. Christiane Brems, author and clinical professor in psychiatry and behavioural sciences, describes where to start if you’d like to develop a practice of conscious breathing.

How far back does the practice of conscious breathing go?

The art and science of breathwork have been an important part of human life for more than two millennia. Grounded in ancient histories and a variety of human contexts (from philosophy to healing arts and science, to spiritual practice), breathwork includes various techniques aimed at harnessing the power of breath.

The significance of breath and breathing to promote physical health, mental well-being and spiritual growth has been recognised and explored through various conceptualisations and applications of breathwork. These range from ancient Vedic texts of India to philosophical reflections of ancient Greece, Taoist traditions of China and contemplative practices of Buddhism.

There is no right or wrong story or approach to breathwork. There are simply many stories reflecting the unique circumstances in which particular types of breathing were developed, practised and taught.

Take a deep breath and embrace the magic of meditation

What are the benefits of breathing exercises today?

We live in a world that exposes us to biological, psychological, socioeconomic and cultural factors that affect how we breathe and how we experience our vitality. For example, our breath and vitality may suffer because of air pollution.

Challenging, controlling, demanding work environments can lead to stress-breathing that becomes habitual. It settles itself into our nervous system and tissues in a relentless way.

Experiences of complex trauma, oppression, implicit bias and prejudice can embed themselves in our nervous system, causing permanent changes in our breath. This can affect and reflect our posture, our physiology, our emotions, and our capacity to remain resilient in the face of challenge.

For these and other reasons, many people do not breathe in an optimal manner.

How should we try to breathe during the day?

A great way to create health and well-being is to develop optimal functional breathing in daily life. Breathwork is less about specific techniques and more about breathing well throughout each day.

A good place to start is to focus on learning to breathe (almost) exclusively through the nose.

Optimal functional breathing means that we:

breathe silently in and out through the nose at all times, including at night and during exertion. Mouth breathing is only for emergencies. Breathing through your nose has many benefits, including enhanced oxygen uptake into the tissues and reduced exposure to foreign substances.
use the diaphragm, the large breathing muscle in the middle of our torso. This means breath movements are notable in the abdomen and low rib basket; the upper chest, shoulder, and neck muscles stay relaxed and passive. Strong breath movement in the upper torso is correlated with anxiety and tension or may occur during heavy-duty exercise.
breathe slowly, ideally about 5.5 to 10 breaths per minute. This rate is encouraged by many wisdom traditions via prayer, chanting, and other contemplative practices that slow the breath.
breathe lightly, silently and subtly. Loud breathing is stress breathing and signals danger to our nervous system. A subtle breath invites a perception of safety.
breathe rhythmically in a way that balances the effort of the inhalation with the ease of the exhalation.
If you feel stressed or the breath getting fast, choppy, or erratic, take a break. Go to the bathroom, have a sip of water, walk around the block, or find other ways to allow the breath to return to a sense of ease.

What are some specific breathing techniques?

It’s helpful to learn and practise nasal and diaphragmatic breathing.

Basic nasal breathing: You can do this lying down, sitting, standing, or even walking. The focus is on directing the breath only through the nostrils by keeping the mouth closed.

Hands-on-belly-and-chest breathing: Starting in a comfortable position, place one hand at the region of the navel and the other hand low on the chest. Once you’re breathing through the nose, your attention is drawn to feeling the parts of the body under your hands.

Back body breathing: This is practised in a yoga child’s pose or lying on the belly so that the front body is pressed either against the folded legs or the floor. Movement is directed to and sensed in the back body.

Resistance, either from the legs or from the floor, creates an experience similar to breathing with a belly weight or with the hands pressing on the abdomen and chest. In this position the breath becomes subtle because the front of the body moves less and the breath is redirected into the back body.

Breathing in this position tends to create a gentle self-massage of the organs and releases fascia, energy, and unnecessary contraction in the front body.

Take five minutes every hour to tune into the breath, inviting it to recalibrate to about six breaths per minute, honouring your own needs as appropriate. Invite the breath to be quiet and subtle rather than taking “deep” breaths. “Deep” breathing tends to create more tension and stress and, for most people, does not really support calming the nervous system or clearing the mind.