Bringing awareness to the breath is a key aspect of ancient Eastern practices like yoga. In the 1960s and '70s, breathwork came to prominence in the West. It turns out there are a number of positive, powerful benefits associated with breathwork. But can it be used as a therapy? Click on the following gallery to find out.

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What is breathwork? -

Breathwork is when breathing techniques and exercises are used to improve health and create a sense of well-being. Ancient practices and modern methods of breathwork can have natural, therapeutic effects on the body.

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Why is it important? -

Besides being a way to relax and get back in tune with your body, breathwork studies have uncovered a variety of health benefits.

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Reduces anxiety and stress -

Being stuck in a fight-or-flight response can be a root cause of anxiety. Breathwork brings you back into the present moment.

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Reduces anxiety and stress -

In stressful situations, breathwork is an effective coping strategy. A 1979 study from the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology proved that controlled breathing exercises work at reducing anxiety, helping to manage stress under pressure.

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Increases energy and boosts immunity -

Breathwork increases the amount of oxygen circulating in the body. As oxygen fuels the cells, boosting levels like breathwork does is great for improved energy and overall health.

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Increases energy and boosts immunity -

Shallow breathing can trigger the sympathetic nervous system and lead to a weakened immune system. Breathwork helps you become conscious of your breath, to encourage proper breathing that benefits the immune system.

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Lowers blood pressure, improves circulation -

Slow, deep breathing exercises help to activate your parasympathetic nervous system and improve blood circulation throughout your body.

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Lowers blood pressure, improves circulation -

Improved circulation decreases your heart rate and dilates blood vessels, helping to maintain healthy blood pressure levels.

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Helps with pain management -

Chronic pain can be debilitating for sufferers, leading to frustration. Breathwork provides a method of distraction, which can help to bring about a positive change in mood.

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Helps with pain management -

In a 2012 study, participants with chronic pain syndromes practiced a relaxing breathing technique. As a consequence, they saw an increased ability to process pain and experienced a decrease in negative emotions.

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Improved confidence and self-esteem -

Breathwork helps to ground in the present moment. This can be particularly helpful for those who struggle with negative thoughts and feelings, especially self-directed ones.

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Improved confidence and self-esteem -

Breathing exercises bring in more oxygen, reducing the cortisol (stress hormone) levels in the blood that can trigger feelings of insecurity/being threatened. In a 2019 article, communication expert Russell Rowe explained that breathing exercises are ideal for helping people build confidence before public speaking.

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Improves sleep -

Regularly practicing breathing exercises can help regulate energy levels, helping you to fall asleep when it’s time.

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Improves sleep -

A 2018 study found that self-regulated breathing helped insomniac participants relax and fall asleep. It also suggested that breathing exercises had the edge over other pharmaceuticals for insomnia treatment.

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Trauma processing -

Advanced breathwork methods, such as holotropic breathwork, are now a method used to experience deep inner, psychological healing.

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Trauma processing -

A 2014 study found breathing exercises successfully helped US veterans manage their PTSD symptoms.

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Better digestion -

Breathwork improves circulation and thereby blood flow to the digestive tract. This, in turn, helps with the digestive process.

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Better digestion -

A reduction in cortisol levels thanks to breathwork can decrease your gut inflammation levels.

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Addiction management -

Combining breathwork with cognitive behavioral therapy and 12-step programs can help manage addiction.

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Addiction management -

A 2011 study, published in the International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, found holotropic breathwork successfully helped participants with abstinence from alcohol and other addictive substances.

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Strengthens lungs -

Breathwork is popular among athletes thanks to its ability to improve breathing capabilities. People with chronic lung conditions, like COPD and asthma, can also reap the benefits of breathwork, to strengthen their lungs.

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Strengthens lungs -

A 2016 study of elderly smokers found that regular breathing exercises helped them improve their lung capacity.

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Improved muscle tone -

Athlete’s don’t just use breathwork to improve their lung function; they like it because it also helps increase muscle tone throughout the body.

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Improved muscle tone -

When blood is alkalized, as it is with breathwork, it builds upon sensory and motor neurons. This smooths muscle contractions to achieve more movement from the muscles throughout our body.

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Improves focus -

If you struggle to focus, breathwork can help increase your attention span. It also helps maintain a sense of calm that keeps you from experiencing distracting emotions.

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Improves focus -

Research showed that there was a correlation between the level of focus and the quality of one’s breathing, in a 2018 study by Trinity College Dublin.

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More creativity -

Breathing exercises help you relax and get into the 'flow' state where your creativity can come through. By clearing your mind, new ideas can rise to the surface.

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More creativity -

A 2014 study published by Behavioral and Brain Functions suggests short-term meditations could help with the completion of creative tasks, while a 2017 article from the Harvard Business Review poses that mindfulness meditations can increase employees’ creative thinking.

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Releases toxins -

Learning how to breathe properly helps to alkalize our blood’s pH level, as toxic carbon dioxide waste is pushed out through exhalation.

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Releases toxins -

Deep breathing strengthens the diaphragm, so the lungs take in more oxygen and clear out more carbon dioxide. About 50% of the toxins we inhale are meant to be released when we exhale. Improved lung capacity helps facilitate deeper exhalation.

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Helps manage depression -

When paired with other treatments, breathwork can be an effective tool to help people manage their depression.

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Helps manage depression -

A 2016 study, conducted by the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, found that participants with severe depression saw improvements when they incorporated pranayama breathing practices into their treatment plans.

Sources: (National Institutes of Health) (ScienceDaily) (Harper's Bazaar) (Othership)