Why Breathwork is a New Kind of Workout
Breathing consciously is a way to tap into the natural healing power of the body. This ancient practice, with various styles and names, has been around for thousands of years and offers a way for personal growth and improvement in mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health. Our breath, also known as prana, is essential for life, yet many of us tend to breathe shallowly, depriving ourselves of vital energy and often causing stress or anxiety. Breathwork, with deep rhythmic breathing, helps shift us from the fight-or-flight response to the relaxation response. It is said that our breathing patterns reflect our lifestyles, so to fully experience life, we should breathe to our full capacity. Breathwork raises our energy levels and is a crucial tool for emotional wellness and resilience. At Frequency, we integrate breathwork into our Emotional Fitness Architecture to maximize its therapeutic benefits. Come and experience the transformative power of breath with us.
1.Reduce Stress: Breathwork is a safe and effective way to address stress, anxiety, grief, depression, and anger. It has a positive impact on the nervous system and changes brainwaves, leading to a decrease in negative thought patterns, stress, and depression levels. By practicing deep breathing, which activates the parasympathetic nervous system, heart rate slows down, blood pressure lowers, and a deep feeling of calm is created. Research has shown a direct correlation between increased alpha brain waves and reduced depression symptoms. Breathwork helps shift brainwaves from beta to alpha and even theta, resulting in a more relaxed and present state.
2.Increase your Energy Levels: Breathing techniques have a positive impact on the level of oxygen in the blood, which in turn leads to an increase in energy and improved endurance. The amount of oxygen we take in through breathing directly affects the energy released into our cells, providing a boost to our immunity and energy levels, especially if we didn't get enough sleep or are feeling anxious or stressed. Breathwork can also enhance physical exercise by supplying the body with more oxygen. By consistently practicing breathwork, you can learn to consciously regulate your energy and immune system.
3.Increase Self-Awareness: By practicing breathwork, which involves deep breathing through the mouth, you can increase your level of self-awareness and presence. This leads to a feeling of being in the present moment and a slowing down of brainwaves from the active states of Beta and Alpha to a more relaxed state of Theta. In this state, people often report feeling happiness and joy as they experience a shift in their consciousness and become less bound by the past or future.
4.Increase Self-Love: Breathwork can help increase self-love, as many individuals struggle with feeling deserving of love and acceptance. By shifting from nasal breathing to mouth breathing, breathwork helps one move away from the thoughts in their head and into their body. This connection with the body can create a deeper relationship with oneself, leading to the development of self-love. Although self-love can be difficult to quantify scientifically, many who engage in breathwork experience a noticeable improvement in their feelings of self-love.
5.Improve Sleep: With the constant stimulation from our phone, social media, caffeine, and sugary foods, along with daily stress and anxiety, it can be difficult to get quality sleep. Breathwork provides a solution by calming the nervous system through deep breathing. This reduces the impact of stimulants and lowers stress levels, leading to improved sleep. Additionally, breathwork helps to quiet the mind, allowing for faster and deeper sleep.
6.Release Trauma and Fears Stuck in the Body: Negative emotions, fear, and trauma can become trapped in the body, leading to physical consequences and hindrances in life. While talk therapy can aid in identifying these issues, it may not effectively remove them from the body. Breathwork offers a highly effective method for releasing these trapped emotions, fears, and traumas and breaking free from limiting beliefs.
7.Help Reduce Pain: Breathwork helps to alleviate chronic pain by reconnecting you with your body and jumpstarting the healing process. The deep breathing in breathwork releases endorphins which decrease sensitivity to pain and promote a sense of well-being. Furthermore, it helps to balance the body's acidity levels and reduce cortisol, which is a hormone linked to stress and pain. By relaxing tense muscles, deep belly breathing can also ease the pain and prevent it from worsening.
8.Release Toxins from the body: Breathing deeply helps to remove toxins from the body, enhances lung efficiency and supports a healthy heart. Over half of the toxins in your body are meant to be expelled through breathing, with carbon dioxide being the primary toxin. Through deep, rhythmic breathing, you expand your diaphragm, which calms the body and stimulates the lymphatic system to aid in toxin elimination. This practice also strengthens your lungs, leading to more effective toxin release. Additionally, deeper breathing enables the cells to take in more oxygen-rich blood and improves your oxygen capacity, which can benefit your physical workout routine and promote further toxin elimination. Furthermore, deep breathing supports the circulatory system, enhancing blood circulation and providing another crucial avenue for detoxification.
9.Improve Digestion: Breathing exercises can improve digestion by boosting blood flow and activity in the digestive system, reducing bloating and gas. It also helps alleviate gut inflammation by lowering stress and cortisol levels. Additionally, by reducing overall stress and anxiety through breathwork, you are more likely to make healthier food choices, reducing the risk of digestive problems.
10.Explore the Altered State of consciousness: Breathwork offers a unique opportunity for self-discovery, spiritual growth, and enhanced connection with oneself, others, and the world. Similar to plant-based practices, breathwork can induce altered states of consciousness and safely allow individuals to connect with their inner selves or divine force. Participants often report feelings of unity, joy, spiritual connection, and security. Breathwork also impacts the interaction between consciousness and the subconscious, fostering creative expression and providing new perspectives for personal growth and the creation of a preferred reality.