While the proverbial ‘new you’ has thankfully been superseded by a softer wellbeing strategy, an underlying pressure can often cloud this time of year; when, really, it’s the small and consistent practices that really count. Take breathwork: it was once considered a simple and fundamental tool to easy daily stress and aid relaxation.
Today, of course, the practice has taken on a whole new meaning – cue the rise of transformational breathwork, the viral Wim Hof method, and all those TikTok-approved hacks, the latter of which can feel more convoluted than calming.
And yet, the basis of harnessing your breath is simple. It’s well documented that conscious and controlled breathing techniques help stimulate the vagus nerve; these can be simple exercises or found via lengthening the breath.
⁘ Breathwork is a science-backed way of using the breath to regulate the nervous system and improve physical and mental health. Studies show that slower, nasal breathing increases oxygen efficiency, calms the stress response and enhances focus, emotional resilience and sleep. The breath is unique because it’s both automatic and controllable, meaning we can consciously influence our physiology in real time,” shares breathwork practitioner, Rob Rea .
There are both long-term and immediate effects for the nervous system.
⁘Chronic stress engrains shallow, inefficient breathing patterns leading to persistent hyperventilation, low CO2 tolerance, and the dominant fight or flight system. The result of which is hugely related to sleep, repair and energy. The boosting of inflammation means the loop never can entirely finish its cycle reducing resilience to future stressors,⁘ adds Rea.
There’s no shortage of data and studies to support how integrating various breath holds can rapidly reduce cortisol levels.
Ahead, Rea breaks down three simple exercises that can be practiced throughout the day.
Inhale for 5 seconds, exhale for 5 seconds for 5 minutes every day. ⁘This helps synchronise heart-brain rhythms, dropping cortisol by 20-30% via parasympathetic boost,⁘ shares Rea.
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