Could you fully de-stress yourself by lying on your bedroom floor for 40 minutes and, well, breathing? That is the promise of breathwork – a form of therapy that seems, to a cynic like me, the emperor’s new clothes, but which promises to reduce anxiety, depression and improve your heart rate and blood pressure.
Until I had undergone a couple of sessions, I presumed it was the worst form of Gwyneth Paltrow woo-woo wellness – and, yes, the founder of Goop is a fan.How can breathing in and out possibly improve both your psychological and also your physical health?
I have become, however, a firm fan after experiencing the strangely powerful therapy, guided by Rob Rea, who admits breathwork is hard to explain to sceptics. “My dad is 84. and he’s like,’Rob,how are you selling air?'” he tells me,laughing.
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But that is what he does – it’s just that his air is slightly different. A former model (he has dazzlingly blue eyes) and banker,he now teaches breathwork to a range of clients,whom he,understandably,doesn’t want to publicly name but include a billionaire owner of one of Europe’s biggest businesses,Hollywood actors,sports stars and Royal Ballet dancers. The billionaires and household-name actors tend to pay for one-on-one therapy over a four-month period, paying £5,000 for fortnightly sessions and regular WhatsApp catch-ups. Those with more modest budgets can join one of his monthly group classes above an Indian restaurant in Islington, north London, for £30.
So how does it work? Rea, 41, explains that breathing is the only brain and body function that is both conscious and unconscious. breathwork, therefore, is “controlled manipulation of your breath in order to create some sort of physiological state change”.
It is the equivalent, he says, of jumping into an ice bath. “People use it, primarily, as a stress resilience tool. It is called hormetic stress.” Plunging into very cold water for two minutes “stimulates a response within your physiology to essentially upgrade it’s software”. A short burst of intense stress teaches the body to adapt to longer-term stress far better.
Breathwork is similar.It is breathing in a very artificial but very measured way to – depending on the type of breathwork – reduce the carbon dioxide in your lungs or reduce the oxygen. The result should be that you are more able to cope with stress and it should also alter your perception. For those that find they are stuck in a rut, either in a relationship or work, breathwork can be a way of “unblocking”.
Like yoga, breathwork comes in many stripes and flavours. For my one-on-one session, Rea guided me through “experiential breathwork”, which is a fairly intense experience. The first time I did it, I ended up sobbing quite hard, despite, or because of, my efforts to keep a stiff upper lip. The second time, I didn’t cry but saw different colours and radiant lights through my closed eyes and, according to my wife, entered a zen-like state of calmness for the next 48 hour
The Power of breathwork: Simple Techniques for Stress Reduction and Improved Wellbeing
Even just a few minutes of daily breathwork can yield notable benefits, according to experts. You don’t need lengthy, 40-minute sessions to experience positive change; as little as three minutes a day can be effective.
One of the most accessible exercises is “box breathing,” a technique popularized by the US Navy SEALs to maintain composure under pressure. It’s a straightforward method for calming down during stressful moments. The practice involves visualizing a box and mirroring its four sides with your breath: inhale for a count of four, hold for four, exhale for four, and hold again for four. Repeat this cycle as needed.
Another simple exercise is “coherent breathing,” also known as HRV (Heart Rate Variability) breathing. This technique is designed to improve your HRV,a key indicator of overall fitness. A higher HRV suggests a healthy balance between stress and recovery. According to practitioners, coherent breathing involves a 5.5-second inhale followed by a 5.5-second exhale. This rhythm has been clinically shown to synchronize various bodily functions, including heart rate, blood circulation, and brain waves. The slight pause between inhale and exhale is key to achieving this coherence.
Numerous resources are available to guide individuals through these and other breathwork exercises. General meditation apps like Calm and Headspace incorporate breathwork into their offerings, while specialist apps such as Breathwrk and othership focus specifically on breathwork techniques.
Improving HRV through breathwork is crucial for overall wellbeing. Research suggests that individuals with higher HRV tend to have stronger immune systems, more adaptable mindsets, improved problem-solving skills, and greater curiosity. Harvard Medical School provides further information on the benefits of HRV.
As one writer concluded, consciously incorporating breathwork into daily life is a worthwhile endeavor.
For more information on breathwork and related resources, visit Rob Rea’s website.