What is Breathwork? Recipe for more health

Breathing is the basic building block that makes a healthy person.

This is perfectly captured in the summary of James Nestor's excellent book “Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art”:

“No matter what you eat, how much you exercise, how thin or young or wise you are, none of it matters if you don't breathe properly. Nothing is more important to our health and well-being than breathing.”

What is Breathwork?

So much is beyond our control, and while most of our breathing occurs unconsciously, outside of our awareness, we can also choose to voluntarily take control of our breath at any time.

Breathwork is the effort required to become more conscious of our breathing.

We can breathe consciously to change how we think, feel and act.

Breathing better is the gateway to sustainable, long-term well-being. This is not about special creams or supplements or green juices. This is about a simple and effective tool that we can use every day to improve physical, mental and emotional health. The 4 pillars of health should actually be 5.

The four traditional pillars of health are:

• Movement
• Nutrition
• Sleep
• Relaxation

Breath is often overlooked.

Not only does the way we breathe impact each of these aspects of our lives, but it can also improve many health conditions that are typically treated with prescription medications or other medical interventions. What if we prescribed better breathing first?

Breathing better is a simple alternative. It's a great place to start when we're feeling unwell, sick, flat, disconnected, depressed or simply lacking energy. Why should breathing be the 5th pillar of health?

Breathing helps us maintain homeostasis and balance. It affects almost all systems in our body. Breathing is the bridge between body and mind. Breathing regulates the nervous system and our emotions. Breathing better is an easy step to start now.

Our bodies are constantly seeking balance, but we live in a culture that makes maintaining that balance very difficult.

Discover the science of better breathing here .

Over time, we have developed dysfunctional breathing patterns due to chronic stress, poor posture, muscle tension and suppressed emotions.

This leads to physical, mental and emotional problems and also has a significant impact on our overall energy levels.

Coherent breathing is a simple and effective technique you can use today.

Coherent breathing in 3 easy steps.

1. Breathe into your stomach and count to 5.
2. Breathe out and count to 5.
3. Repeat for 5 minutes (or as long as you have, every little bit helps).

Your daily habits can help you breathe better.

The best way to turn better breathing into a routine is to attach it to another daily routine you already do.

We find that the hōki is an effective breathing tool that can help you integrate conscious breathing into your everyday life.

Try to better combine breathing with these daily routines you probably already have:

• Breathe as you wait for your morning coffee.
• Breathe while you shower.
• Breathe deeply in traffic on the way to work.
• Breathe while you take a break at work.