r/breathwork

I’ve tried a few breathing techniques and noticed something.
The more complicated it feels, the less likely I am to use it when I’m actually stressed.
Counting too much can make it feel like homework. Holding the breath can feel uncomfortable. Big deep breaths sometimes make me too aware of my body.
The easiest thing for me so far is just making the exhale a little longer than the inhale.
Nothing fancy.
What breathing technique feels most natural for you?

I used to think breathing exercises were useless.
Mostly because I was doing them like a task.
Big inhale. Big exhale. Count perfectly. Check if I’m calm yet.
That made me more aware of my breathing, and sometimes more uncomfortable.
What helped was making it smaller. A normal inhale. A slower exhale. No perfect timing. No trying to fix the whole mood in 30 seconds.
It’s not magic, but it helps me notice tension earlier.
Anyone else find gentle breathing easier than deep breathing?

Keeping things short happy to go deeper in comments

Ages 14-27 in particular lots of environmental trauma
Broken dysfunctional home of abuse alcoholism gaslighting manipulation etc since young

This affected life at school etc bullying. Became mute. Defensive. Isolated etc

I’ve come soooooo far and I’m thankful at 32. Moved abroad starting new. Therapy. Healthier life. Still in solitude but branching out lately.

In breathwork when I hold breath it makes me feel spot light effect, like the bullies are there like hyenas and picking me apart, like somethings wrong with me etc

How to find peace in this stage and release? Self love and acceptance?

Hey guys,

Im thinking about giving this as a try and I've heard and seen videos that its good for trauma? I've seen people crying etc etc in videos

Sick of being so angry and hateful towards everywhere and I need to leg go of all of this.

Many thanks,

Deep breathing never felt natural to me when I was already tense.

If I try to take a huge breath, I start noticing my chest too much. Then it feels like I’m forcing it instead of calming down.

What feels easier is just a normal inhale and a slightly slower exhale.

Nothing dramatic. No perfect count. No big routine.

It helps most in small moments, like before opening a stressful message or when I notice my shoulders creeping up.

Anyone else prefer longer exhales over deep breathing?

I am looking and seeking someone who has experience slowing their breath per minute down.

12 breaths per minute seems to be the normal.

6 breaths per minute seems to be advanced.

And 1-2 breaths per minute seems to be elite.

I am seeking someone here who has experienced reliably being able to do 1-2 breaths per minute.

Hi! Although I've considered it before I don't regularly do breathwork (at least not in a principled manner, i do breathing meditation but kind of just make it up as I go), so I'm mostly coming here because it seems like a community most likely to know what the fuck it is I'm doing here, because Google hasn't been particularly helpful.

So, some context: I'm a daily weed smoker. Not ideal ik, I only mention it because there's a chance it's related. I often notice my glottal fry exacerbating as a result of this, so something I do to try and "clear" it a bit is to like...

OK actually this may be hard to explain. Basically isolating like, the vocal "action" which produces exclusively vocal fry/the part of my like, vocal/breathing repertoire where the glottal fry "originates"? I then like, with my throat as closed as possible push as much pressure through my throat (and by extension the vocal fry) for as long as I can handle before intentionally violently coughing.

For a reason I am unaware of, this produces extreme light-headedness to the point that I generally fall to the ground/fall over if I was sitting. It feels like a more extreme version of the light-headedness I get from long holding periods when meditating. It also reminds me of like, the inner experience of "greening out" on weed, minus the aspect of *actually being stoned* (I'm very sober today and the affect is at the most reproducible it has ever been).

Idk, I would just be interested if this is like, an identifiable phenomenon within the auspices of breathwork or if anyone at least knows what is going on. I'm not sure if I should stop doing this.

Thanks :)

One of the most useful ways I’ve integrated breathwork into daily life is while I’m working.

I used to notice that after an hour or two at my laptop I’d be:

• holding my breath often while concentrating
• posture type muscle tension (neck/shoulders)
• feeling burnt out
• clenching my jaw

I realized a lot of that was a constant state of stress as a baseline + poor breathing patterns while staring at a screen.

Now I use a watch app that vibrates during the inhale/exhale timing so I can stay in the pattern without constantly looking at my phone or a visual breathing guide. Makes it much easier to do while working. I fall out of the pattern here and there, but the watch app helps me come back.

Even 10 to 20 minute blocks while doing tasks has been surprisingly helpful.

Anyone else do breathwork while working?

I’m looking into breathwork for calming purposes. But everything that I come accross like guided breathing apps, or 4-7-8 breathing feels very hard to achieve and have the opposite effect of calming (out of breath feeling). Is this something people have to build up to it or it’s hard because of scoliosis (due to reduced lung capacity)?

Curious if anyone with reduced lung capacity found a good pattern/app that works for them!

Pic below for proof!

I just wanted to share some personal lessons after an year of consistent breathwork:

1. Don't chase variety of mindfulness or breathwork activities. Just stick to core 2-3 ones that you really enjoy. A lot of this space is full of unnecessary lessons/guided sessions which 99% of people don't actually need.
2. In my view some form of tracking or journaling is a must to keep you inspired and keeping yourself accountable. Best thing about mindfulness is you can do in sitting, laying, or just driving haha
3. I can fully attest that breathwork, works! I think so many people don't really understand the true benefits of it. I won't go into the details of it. Countless research have proven it multiple times.
4. After some time, increase your capacity (duration of inhales, holds etc.) to really start seeing next level of benefits - that's where you'll want to create certain customized practices. Don't just blindly follow others, you can build your own very gradually and in a safe manner.

https://preview.redd.it/silokncazs0h1.png?width=1179&format=png&auto=webp&s=964643a3b4a94e91487ea1edac1c3031b5e545c7

The term “breathwork” emerged alongside the psychedelic movement of the 1960s.

When psychedelics became illegal, psychiatrist Stanislav Grof developed Holotropic Breathwork as a way to access non-ordinary states without substances.

A lot of modern breathwork still follows this model:

intensity, catharsis, emotional release, and altered states.

And these experiences can absolutely be valuable.

Although my sense is that people are approaching healing with the same mindset that created the imbalance in the first place: more intensity, faster results, stronger experiences.

The deeper work is what happens afterward.

In my experience, I've seen gentler breathing practices guide the nervous system toward greater regulation once the session ends, with much less force.

That’s the work.

That's integration.

So I did it this morning before I went to bed for maybe about an hour maybe and a half, so here’s what happened: First off, I’m not the most experienced with this kind of stuff here, have done shrooms once, and other stimulants a few more times have never tried “natural” ways of manipulating one’s mind.

It’s kind of blurry now, the whole experience, but I remember that I got my teeth, hands and feet really tingly and numb, at one point even my forehead and head as well. I was hot! At some points I felt really hot, like a hot wave but way longer but it didn’t feel bad, just like its hugging me. At one point my back felt numb and I felt like I was slowly falling down/into my bed. About visions, I had my pillow over my eyes and face with a space to breathe near the mouth. The most I got was: Tracers, like when you do psychicslics, LSD especially, blue, red, yellow ones, I saw a face at some point but it was connected to many other faces like a wall, I saw yellow/orange rays comming towards me really fast but that’s if I really focused.

Questions part: My nasal passages are not the best, had my nose broken at a very early age so I breathe mostly with my mouth, I switch between breathe IN, OUT, IN, OUT like what the regular way of doing holotropic breathwork I’ve read is, but I alternate it with breathe in, out fast, hold for a min and a half, breathe in, out fast again. Also, a big question, since I am also into buddhist meditation, should I try keeping my mind clear while doing holotropic breathwork or should I let it go all over the place, cause at one point I was singing a song in my mind, another time I was eternally grateful for the existence of Redbull haha

**What should I change to go deeper? First of all, music for sure! Did it without at first, need to change that. Recommendations? Holotropic Breathwork exercises? Do you have suggestions on the way I do stuff, corrections and etc? Honestly, tell me anything you think would benefit me in doing this, Its really interesting and fascinatingly to me, cheers!

Im a beginner and have never consistently done breath work, ive seen videos about activating DMT and the pineal gland and i havent done enough of the actual research into it know how legit that is, but as an inspiring writer i do know i need more creativity and imagination so im very interested in just breathwork. Are there names for certain exercises that you guys would recommend and i look into and do in the mornings and whatnot?

I try not to create any rules when it comes to breathwork. I try to listen to the body and adjust the practice accordingly. Sometimes that means sitting in complete silence and darkness with just the breath. Other times I'll use these add-ons for a different experience.

1. Humming during exhales

Why it helps:

• Humming can increase nasal nitric oxide production, which may help improve airflow through the nasal passages.
• Nitric oxide also plays a role in blood flow and oxygen delivery.
• The vibration can feel calming as it's a built-in vagus nerve massage.

A small study found humming increased nasal nitric oxide levels significantly more than quiet exhaling.

2. Stretching during slow breathing

I'll do stretches that feel in sync with the practice. Some favorites:

• Neck stretches
• Child’s pose
• Forward folds
• Hip openers

Why it helps:

• Stretching while exhaling helps my muscles relax when tension is distracting me from the session.

3. Walking + breathwork (in sync with steps)
If you've read my earlier posts, you know I'm big into habit stacking, so getting outside and doing breathwork is a regular part of my routine.

Why it helps:

• Sometimes I need some movement to stay focused/mindful.

There’s also research showing nasal breathing during exercise may improve breathing efficiency over time.

4. Low Sensory Breathwork
Then there's other times like I said. Where i've let the nervous system run wild for too long and need complete stillness/silence/darkness.

Sometimes i'll bring in these items for a low sensory experience:

• Noise Cancelling Headphones
• Eye Mask
• Weighted or Heated Blanket

Always on the lookout for more tips. Let me know what you recommend.