Breath: The Sword at our Hip

The Unseen Current: Why Breathwork Is the Most Underestimated Tool for Health

In the pursuit of wellness, we often focus on the tangible such as the weight we lift, the miles we run, the healthy meals we eat, and the pages we write in our journals. These practices are powerful, yet one of the most fundamental, transformative tools for self-development is often overlooked by the medical field and the general public: the breath. While breathwork has been integrated into ancient practices for thousands of years, its profound physical and psychological benefits are only recently gaining widespread recognition in modern science. At Reset IWT, we've come to see breathwork not as a secondary practice, but as an unseen current that can guide our journey toward holistic health.

For many of us, the breath is an unconscious act. We breathe, but we don't necessarily breathe with intention. Yet, the simple act of consciously directing your breath can become a powerful lever for influencing your mind, body, and emotions.

The Bridge to the Autonomic Nervous System

In my personal journey of self-development, I have explored a range of practices from strength training and yoga to climbing and meditation. While each of these has been invaluable, a common thread weaves through them all: the breath. During Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training, I began to coordinate inhales and exhales with specific movements to maximize the execution of a technique. Without realizing it, I was tapping into a core principle of breathwork: that the way we breathe has a direct, profound impact on our physical capabilities and emotional state.

This relationship between breath and physiology is scientifically supported (Urfy & Suarez, 2014). Shallow, rapid chest breathing, with the inhale longer than the exhale is a sign of stress and can trigger the body’s “fight or flight” response, activating the sympathetic nervous system. Over time, this can contribute to increased blood pressure and a heightened state of physiological arousal. Conversely, slow, deep breathing, particularly using the diaphragm, with the exhale longer than the inhale sends a signal to the brain that you are safe, activating the parasympathetic nervous system AKA the body’s “rest and digest” state. This shift can lower your heart rate, reduce blood pressure, initiate healing processes, and calm the mind.

Beyond the Fundamentals: The Vast and Varied World of Breathwork

The true power of breathwork reveals itself when we begin to explore its incredible variance. We can intentionally manipulate so many aspects of a single breath, creating a practice that is as unique as we are:

• Pace: You can change the speed of your breath, from slow, deliberate inhales and exhales to rapid, staccato bursts. Slow, deep breathing exercises have been shown to reduce stress and anxiety.

• Depth and Extent: You can breathe from your chest or from your abdomen. In a world of chronic stress, many people have adopted inefficient chest-breathing patterns, which can lead to anxiety and tension headaches. Practicing diaphragmatic, or "belly," breathing is a more efficient and effective way to breathe that promotes relaxation and can improve circulation.

• Breath Holds: You can add breath holds at the top of an inhale or the bottom of an exhale. These holds can be used to build endurance, focus, and a sense of calm.

• Path of the Breath: You can breathe through your nose, your mouth, or both. For instance, breathing through your nose has been shown to improve the filtering of air, while exhaling through the mouth can facilitate a greater release of carbon dioxide.

• Conscious Focus: You can even direct your breath to a specific area of your body or explore a more one-sided breath. This level of intentionality creates a powerful connection to your physical body that goes beyond a standard workout.

The simplicity of these variations makes breathwork an accessible tool for anyone, anywhere, with no special equipment required.

The Transformative Power of a Guided Session

While a simple breath practice can offer immediate benefits, a guided session can unlock a far deeper experience. A recent breathwork session I participated in, synchronized with music, was a vivid demonstration of this. My physical form seemed to melt away, and I felt as though I was turning into a gentle puddle of water, a profound release of physical and emotional tension. The person next to me, however, described a completely different sensation. They felt a powerful heat, a fire, developing in their heart, which fueled a passionate resolve to become a better leader in their life.

This is a powerful illustration of breathwork's ability to be a catalyst for diverse and deeply personal experiences. The practice can be simple or complex, short or long, easy or intense, depending on what you're looking for, but the goal is always to create a pathway for your body and mind to find their own form of release and self-discovery. Some breathwork practices can even induce altered states of consciousness, which researchers believe could offer a non-pharmacological alternative to psychedelics with fewer legal and ethical restrictions.

Why Is It So Underrated?

The medical field has historically undervalued breathwork because it is a non-pharmacological, non-mechanical intervention. It doesn’t fit into a pill or a procedure. But its power lies in its ability to directly influence the nervous system and give individuals a sense of control over their own physiological state, which is a hallmark of anxiety. Research shows that even brief, structured respiration practices can improve mood and reduce physiological arousal more than mindfulness meditation alone.

This practice is an ideal complement to other therapeutic modalities because it works directly with the body to address what may be stored emotions or unresolved physiological responses. By consciously changing the depth and frequency of our breathing, we are directly modulating our physiological state in a way that can lead to profound mental and physical relaxation.

Your Next Step on the Path

Breathwork is a simple, yet profoundly powerful tool for health and well-being. It is a fundamental part of our integrative approach at Reset, which we believe is essential for cultivating a truly authentic and connected life.

If you haven't yet explored the power of your own breath, now is the time to start. You can find many guided sessions for free by searching on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform. It is a powerful first step on the path to discovering the incredible wisdom and healing that already exists within you. We'll be having a Harmony at the Beach event on October 19th at Bunche Beach in Fort Myers Florida that will have a guided breathwork session along other body awareness building activities. Check out our store for more information.

Dr. Danny Alva

References

Urfy, M. Z., & Suarez, J. I. (2014). Breathing and the nervous system. Handbook of clinical neurology, 119, 241–250. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-7020-4086-3.00017-5

Disclaimer: the contents of this blog post was written with assistance from AI.