The Science
Why breathwork works
Breathwork is not a new idea. Cultures around the world have used conscious breathing practices for thousands of years. What is newer is the growing body of scientific research that helps us understand why it works — and what is actually happening in the body and brain when we breathe in particular ways.
The breath is unique among our bodily functions. It happens automatically, without us thinking about it — and yet we can also take conscious control of it at any moment. This makes it a remarkable bridge between the conscious and unconscious, between the voluntary and the involuntary, between the mind and the body.
The nervous system
Your breath & your nervous system
The autonomic nervous system governs our stress and relaxation responses. It has two main branches: the sympathetic nervous system (often called 'fight or flight') and the parasympathetic nervous system ('rest and digest'). Most of us spend far too much time in sympathetic activation — stressed, anxious, on high alert — without enough time in the parasympathetic state where healing, digestion and restoration happen. Conscious breathwork directly influences this system. Slow, extended exhales activate the vagus nerve and shifts us through these states. Through the continuous, connected breathing pattern of CCB, we temporarily change our CO₂ levels and blood pH. These physiological changes influence the brain and can shift our usual state of awareness, creating the conditions for an altered state of consciousness. This can allow us to experience thoughts, emotions, sensations and perceptions in a different way. Another benefit is that it retrains our nervous system how to respond to any triggers that may happen throughout a session or workshop.
of vagus nerve fibres run from body to brain — meaning the breath sends powerful signals upward
is the resonance frequency breathing — around 6 breaths per minute — shown to maximise heart rate variability
breaths we take each day — each one an opportunity to influence our nervous system state
Trauma & the body
The body keeps the score
Trauma is not simply a memory of something that happened — it can leave lasting effects on the nervous system, influencing how we experience sensations, emotions, thoughts and our responses to stress. Research and clinical work, including that of Bessel van der Kolk, Peter Levine and others, has highlighted how traumatic experiences can continue to shape patterns of physiological arousal and defensive responses long after an event has passed. Talking therapies can be enormously helpful in making sense of our experiences, developing insight and creating new perspectives. But trauma can also involve processes that operate outside conscious awareness, including changes in autonomic arousal, body sensations and implicit emotional responses. These aren't always easily accessed through words alone. This is where breathwork and other somatic approaches can offer another pathway. By bringing conscious awareness to the breath and body, we can begin to notice and work with physiological patterns of stress and activation. With appropriate support and pacing, this may help us develop greater capacity for regulation, process difficult emotional experiences and cultivate a stronger sense of safety within the body.
Documented benefits
What the research shows
Reduced anxiety & stress
Research suggests that controlled breathing practices, particularly slow and diaphragmatic breathing, can reduce physiological arousal and may help reduce feelings of anxiety and stress.
Improved emotional regulation
Breathwork can influence autonomic arousal and may support our ability to respond to difficult emotions rather than becoming overwhelmed by them. It can also help create the physiological conditions that support more effective emotional regulation
Better sleep
Slow, calming breathing practices can help reduce physiological arousal before bed and may support relaxation, sleep onset and overall sleep quality.
Increased heart rate variability
Heart rate variability (HRV) reflects the variation in time between heartbeats and is influenced by autonomic nervous system activity. Slow, paced breathing can increase HRV during practice and may support greater flexibility in the nervous system.
Reduced chronic pain
Breathwork may help people manage chronic pain by influencing stress, autonomic arousal, attention and the way pain is perceived. It can be a useful complementary approach alongside appropriate medical or therapeutic care.
Enhanced self-awareness
Regular breathwork can develop interoception — our ability to notice and interpret signals from within the body. Greater awareness of these signals can help us recognise changes in emotion, stress and nervous-system activation earlier.
"The body always leads us home, if we can simply learn to trust what it knows."
Experience it for yourself
Reading about breathwork is one thing. Experiencing it is another. I offer a free introductory call so you can ask questions and get a sense of whether this approach might be right for you.
Book a free introductory call