Practical Breathwork Tools for Everyday Life

Jordan Turner, international mind and body transformation specialist, talks how beginners to breathwork can incorporate this powerful practise into their everyday life.

What is breathwork?

Breathing is one of the few bodily functions that can be controlled both consciously and unconsciously. Breathwork is when we choose to take conscious control of our breathing. Why take conscious control? There are many reasons why and lots of benefits, but the main reason in my opinion is that breath is life. We take our first breath when we enter this world, then we take our last breath when we leave and it’s during the breaths we take in-between that determine how we experience the journey we call life. Learning to take conscious control of your breathing will put you in the drivers seat of your existence and give you greater control over your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.

Where to start and how

Let's start right now! Become aware of your breathing as you are reading this, take a deep breath in and exhale. I suggest starting with deep diaphragmatic breathing. You will build solid foundations through this practice and receive many benefits, including lowering the harmful effects of the stress hormone cortisol on your body, improving digestion, and supporting the metabolic process that affects our weight. You'll also feel more connected and present.

Diaphragm breathing basics

Here’s the basic procedure for diaphragmatic breathing:

1. Sit upright in a comfortable position or lie flat on the floor, yoga mat, your bed, or another comfortable, flat surface.

2. Relax your shoulders.

3. Put a hand on your chest and a hand on your stomach.

4. Breathe in through your nose for about 2 to 4 seconds. You should experience the air moving through your nostrils into your abdomen, making your stomach expand. During this type of breathing, make sure your stomach is moving outward while your chest remains relatively still.

5. Purse your lips (as if you’re about to drink through a straw), press gently on your stomach, and exhale slowly for about 2 to 4 seconds.

6. Repeat these steps several times for best results.

I recommend starting with 30 breath cycles everyday. This will take you the same time it takes to clean your teeth. We wouldn’t leave the house without brushing our teeth (well, at least I hope most of us wouldn’t!), so let's spend the same time on a practise that can improve our overall health and wellbeing.

Throughout the day, check in with your breath. If you notice you are chest breathing or your breath is shallow make a conscious effort to relax your chest and bring the breath back into your diaphragm. Even just a couple of deep breaths can make a huge difference to your state of being and in time, will become your new norm. Added tip, there are many ways to anchor this into daily practice and it's for you to decide what is best for you personally, but here are a couple of suggestions:

• Set a reminder on your phone to prompt you to check in. 
• Use every moment you are about to eat as a reminder to check in. 

Setting situational reminders will support you staying much more present and aware throughout the day, improving your ability to respond and adapt to situations. 

Whiskey breathing

This is a relaxing process that will drop you into your parasympathetic nervous system (rest and renew). It's a great practice to unwind or before bed to help support a good night's sleep.

1. Sit upright in a comfortable position or lie flat on the floor, yoga mat, your bed, or another comfortable, flat surface.

2. Relax your shoulders.

3. Try nose breathing only or inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth.

4. 1:2 Ratio (most common 4 seconds inhale, 8 seconds exhale)

5. Go into diaphragmatic breathing (under 6 breaths per minute)

Breathwork forms a key part of many of our Yoga and Meditation Retreats, and, as Jordan explains, has countless benefits. Click here to explore the range, which spans Europe and long-haul destinations like Thailand and Bali.