Saturday 12th October
There are many ways to perform breathwork. From different amounts of inhaling, pausing and exhaling. They can be performed through the nose, mouth or a combination of both. We will look at two main ways to perform breathwork as well as the impact these can have.
The pattern that is followed is an inhale through the nose, a pause, an exhale through the mouth and another pause. Playing around with the timings of these produces a very different response.
In box breathing, all segments take the same amount of time. You can try a 5 second inhale, 5 second pause, 5 second exhale, 5 second pause. This is 3 complete breath cycles per minute. Doing this for 5-10 minutes has a very calming effect on the body. Early in the afternoon when we naturally have an energy dip, it can be the perfect time to refocus with this type of breathwork. There are apps which track this for you as well as youtube videos, so you can focus on your breathing and leave the timing up to someone else. You can use the calm app or youtube for free.
In Wim Hoff, the pauses are as minimal as possible. This is sometimes referred to as circular breathing. There is a sharp inhale to fill the lungs and a partially forced exhale. This is repeated for 30-50 breaths. Afterwards the breath is held for as long as one can. It is worth mentioning this is a controlled hyperventilation, holding the breath after an inhale is more likely to result in losing consciousness. This should not be performed whilst driving a motorised vehicle or in water. It’s best to get a partner to practice with.
There are many reported benefits to breathwork. Whether its for focus or a calm start to the day, people often experience a benefit for at least the first 90-120 minutes after a breathwork session. This shift can create momentum which continues to the rest of the day.
