From stress relief to energy gains: The surprising benefits of breath work

When I started learning to control my breath, I was still using boxing as a tool to reduce my frustrations. I loved it, but the problem was a bag wasn’t always just hanging around when you needed it.

What I love about breathing as a tool is that it’s available 24/7. Typically, your breath is part of the ‘automatic’ processes controlled by your medulla oblongata, which connects your brain to your spinal cord. You don’t have to think about it, and your body just does it automatically.

However, by bringing attention to the breath, you can use it as a tool to reduce stress, be more conscious of your surroundings and help live in the moment.

When you take slow, gentle, deep breaths, your brain sends a message to your body to relax, lower your heart rate, and reduce muscle tension and anxiety. Studies have shown that using slow breathing practices, including slowing your breath to about six breaths per minute, can lead to significant physiological change in just a few breaths. I love how something so simple can create massive change.

Countless breathing techniques are available, with many being rooted in Eastern philosophy, and, over the years, I’ve explored a variety of these mindfulness and meditation practices. Through trial and experience, I’ve discovered a simple yet highly effective approach that works for me —breathing in for five seconds, pausing briefly, and then exhaling for five seconds.

Interestingly, this is the same technique taught in scuba diving to regulate and slow breathing, helping to conserve air and maintain a calm, steady rhythm.

Keep it sustainable

Motivational speaker and extreme athlete Wim Hof has created a cult following based on his specialised breathing techniques (and using this in connection with cold therapy, such as ice baths or cold showers). Personally, from my own practice and trying to make it sustainable in my own life, I keep it simple.

I use slow, deep breathing in through my nose and out through my nose whenever I feel the need to slow down or calm down, or just want to be 100 per cent present in the moment. I would typically do this for 10 breaths, with my eyes closed, my bare feet on the earth, and feeling my stomach and chest rise as I breathe in and out. Before learning to breathe for stress relief, I would clench my fists — now I release them.

When we focus on our breath, we reconnect back to ourselves, and we become present. We are so good at doing that we rarely give ourselves permission to stop and just be. We spend a lot of our day on autopilot, and when we allow ourselves a moment to breathe, we come into the moment. I love doing a breath session in our workshops and watching people’s minds and bodies relax, slow down and cheer up with an upward curl of their mouth.

Sometimes, even now, I struggle being present. When my wife Carly and I are out on our morning walks and I’m stuck in my head, the connection between us suffers. When I am present, I am happy and fun, we play and muck around. However, when I am stuck in my head, I just walk silently, not seeing, not taking in the beauty — I am there but not present. The day just doesn’t start off as well. In these moments, I really must make a deliberate effort to focus on my breath, bringing myself back to the present moment so I can enjoy those precious moments.

Using breath to improve wellbeing

Deep breathing offers numerous benefits that can enhance your overall wellbeing. Engaging in deep breathing techniques can lead to the release of neurochemicals, including endorphins, which promote a sense of wellbeing and can alleviate pain. Additionally, deep breathing activates your body’s relaxation response, reducing stress and anxiety levels.

By consciously practising deep breathing, you can experience several positive outcomes, such as:

• Reduced pain: Deep breathing has been shown to alleviate pain by promoting relaxation and reducing muscle tension.
• Elevated mood: Engaging in deep breathing exercises can enhance mood and overall emotional wellbeing.
• Improved lymphatic system function: Deep breathing stimulates the lymphatic system, aiding in the removal of toxins and supporting immune function.
• Enhanced cardiovascular capacity: Regular practice of deep breathing can improve cardiovascular health by lowering blood pressure and heart rate.
• Better stress and anxiety management: Deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation and reducing stress and anxiety.
• Improved mental clarity: Practising deep breathing can enhance focus and cognitive function.
• Increased energy levels: Deep breathing techniques can boost energy by improving oxygen exchange and circulation.
• Enhanced sleep quality: Incorporating deep breathing into your routine can improve sleep by promoting relaxation.
• Reconnection with the body: Deep breathing fosters a stronger mind–body connection, enhancing bodily awareness and mindfulness.

Your breath is a remarkable built-in tool — always with you, effortlessly accessible and completely free to use whenever you need it.