Breathwork refers to any type of breathing pattern or technique in which you exert conscious control. In breathwork, you manipulate or change your breathing pattern to have a desired effect on your body, mind, and energy state. This encompasses various techniques, some of which help to induce calm and regulate your nervous system and others which activate and enhance it

Breathwork is a tool for major transformation and healing. Throughout each day, our sensory nervous system is constantly overloaded, sometimes without us even knowing. Stress then activates our sympathetic nervous system and our autonomic responses of fight or flight. Breathwork drops you into the parasympathetic nervous system, relieving mental, physical, and emotional tension and helping you better regulate your emotions

The best thing about breathwork is how easy it is to incorporate into your day. All you need is some time, a designated space to sit, and your breath. There are a variety of breathwork techniques you can practice throughout each day, depending on your needs and schedule. For more intense breathwork (holotropic, somatic, or longer sessions), we suggest engaging in only one session per week

• Boosts your immune system

• Lowers blood pressure

• Increases parasympathetic tone

• Increases energy levels

• Brings you into the present moment

• Relieves pain, releases toxins, and clears negative emotions

• Reduces stress, anxiety, and insomnia

• Helps you explore altered states of consciousness, consciously

With breathwork, you're voluntarily stimulating your involuntary (autonomic) system. With active breathing, you're increasing oxygen levels in your blood, stimulating your hypothalamus gland, and releasing endorphins into your body. Deep breathing strengthens the diaphragm, allowing you to breathe in more oxygen and clear out more carbon dioxide. It also helps improve your lymphatic system and generate more oxygen-rich blood, which improves circulation

To learn more, check out these studies and suggestions from our partner, Othership.

• Yes, it is your body's natural regulation system

• Always listen to your body's intuition, while it can be highly uncomfortable, you should not push yourself to the point of pain

• Never practice breathwork while driving or in water

• Consult your doctor before practicing breathwork if pregnant

• Temperature fluctuations

• Tetany. This is the involuntary cramping, tightening, tingling, paralyzing, or numbing sensations of the hands and/or feet and even the face. Your body may shake, vibrate, and move in ecstatic ways

• Releases of energy through crying, laughing, and screaming

• Feelings of dizziness and lightheadedness

• Feeling like you are made of cement, and decreased mobility