Breathwork is all the rage right now; there is breathwork for anxiety, breathwork for energy, and breathwork for healing.

With all of this attention on breathwork, you might be asking yourself, “What can it actually do for me?”

If you are new to breathwork, this is your guide.

Let’s explore the different ways breathwork can support you, whether that’s calming your mind, releasing emotion, or energizing, you name it, there’s a breath for that.

Breathwork for Mental & Emotional Health

One of the common reasons people choose breathwork is that it helps with regulating stress and emotions.

Sometimes, when we’re anxious or feeling stressed, our breathing becomes shallow and erratic, which can further exacerbate the atmosphere.

Intentional breathing breaks this loop by activating the parasympathetic nervous system – the healing “rest-digest” phase of the body.

Benefits:

• Reduces anxiety and panic
• Increases emotional resilience
• Helps manage depression and overwhelm

Try:

• Box Breathing (inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4) for daily stress, Dr. Z often recommends adding one to two seconds in length on each cycle performed. (inhale 5, hold 5, exhale 5, hold 5, and so forth)
• Physiological Sighs (2 short inhales, one long exhale) in tense moments
• Coherent Breathing (5-6 breaths per minute) for nervous system balance

Breathwork for Consciousness Exploration

Other times, the breath assists in accessing heightened states of awareness.

This kind of breathwork application goes hand in hand with treatment, spiritual, or introspective environments.

Benefits:

• Accesses subconscious and repressed emotions
• Unlocks altered states of awareness
• Facilitates deep personal insight and clarity

Try:

• Holotropic Breathwork or Rebirthing Breathwork (done with a trained guide)
• Intensive Journeys supported by music and longer breath sessions

Caution: Consciousness-expanding breathwork should be practiced with support if you have a history of trauma or mental health conditions.

Breathwork for Physical Energy & Performance

Not all breathwork is about being calm; some styles are designed to energize you and optimize physical performance.

These techniques increase oxygenation, stimulate the sympathetic system, and can even improve CO₂ tolerance for endurance training.

Benefits:

• Boosts energy naturally (no caffeine required!)
• Improves athletic performance and recovery
• Enhances focus and cognitive stamina

Try:

• Wim Hof Method (cycles of deep breathing + breath holds) in the morning
• Breath of Fire (rapid nose exhales) for quick energy boosts
• Nasal breathing during workouts to build endurance

Breathwork for Sleep & Nervous System Reset

You can wind down using targeted breathwork when you find it hard to fall asleep due to an overactive mind. Slow, rhythmic breathing relaxes the nervous system, reassuring the body that it is safe to rest.

Benefits:

• Helps you fall asleep faster
• Deepens the quality of sleep
• Recalibrates the nervous system after stress

Try:

• 4-7-8 Breathing (inhale 4, hold 7, exhale 8) before bed
• Slow belly breathing in the dark or while lying down

Trauma Healing & Somatic Release

Unpleasant experiences get somehow stored in the body, and breathwork sessions help release this tension without the need to explore the whole story. This approach is body-first; thus, healing is achieved through somatic awareness.

Benefits:

• Releases stored tension and trauma
• Increases body awareness and emotional capacity
• Supports therapy and somatic practices

Try:

• Conscious Connected Breathing in trauma-informed sessions
• Gentle breath + body scan combinations during therapy or journaling

Conclusion

The beauty of breathwork is that it is tailored to the needs of the situation, and you do not have to go to a studio or open an app, nor do you have to spend twenty minutes with it.

The only thing required is for you to be aware of your response to the situation, the intention to change that response, and a few minutes to focus on your own breath.

Before you enter that next session, tell yourself:

“This is time for myself, time for balance”

Whether you need calm, energy, healing, or insight…your breathing is a tool to use to achieve it.

At Trinity Natural Health, we believe in simple, holistic practices that restore balance and support your whole well-being.

If you’d like to explore how breathwork and other natural therapies can help you, schedule your appointment with us today.