Breathwork class for stress

Breathwork class for stress

​If you've done your research you may come to know that we are pretty serious about breathing class, being the only ones in Singapore to teach you various navigation about breathwork session, how breath manipulation can help you, even after class, you are exactly where you need to be!
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Stress much?

If you are stressed, at work, in a relationship, in a high-stress environment, all you have to do to bring yourself out of the state of stress and anxiety is to do breathwork(breathing exercises). You can think of a breathwork session/ class as a form of meditation but a little bit more active due to the nature of manipulating the breathing process. Plenty of research is suggesting that breathwork or the practice of manipulating the breath can help improve quality of life in many aspects. If you're looking to improve your well-being, & making small lifestyle changes, read to find out more on the thought processes of breathwork practice.
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What is the 4 7 8 breathing technique?

Ever seen a breathwork class where people look like they're about to burst? This breathwork technique will not do that, instead, the breathwork you are about to learn will help you manage & decrease stress levels both physical & mental. The 478 is a simple breathing technique/ tool to help reset your autonomic nervous system(brain) by changing your breathing pattern(yes it is that powerful). When we undergo any type of stress be it physical, mental, or emotional, we breathe differently & not being able to come out of it may lead to depression in the long term. The thought process of 4 7 8 breathing techniques/breathwork is that you bring yourself out stress and anxiety by increasing self-awareness of your breath in particular. This breathwork technique is similar to the box breathing exercise technique where you inhale air through the nostril(for 4 counts), hold your breath(for 4 counts), exhale the air(for 4 counts), & hold your breath( for 4 counts), & repeat. Start with a minute & practice your way up to about 10 minutes per day. Do this breath practice/breathwork through the nostrils.


The benefits of breathing exercises or breathwork sessions are:

• Decreased heart rate
• Regulate nervous system (brain activity)
• Lower blood pressure
• Lower stress hormones
• Improved vagus nerve tone
• Improved energy

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Can deep breathing reduce stress?

Breathing exercises or breathwork practice help improve:

• Mental health,
• Stress management/ stress relief,
• Quality of life
• Management of anxiety
• Clarity of mind
• Improve body composition
• Meditation practices

Stress is a state of energy crisis where your mind uses up so much of your energy that if you were stressed for the whole day, you'd feel exhausted after everything's settled down, & we've all had it sometime before(or may even be having one right now). Breathwork, something so simple is yet equally so powerful, by being aware of your breaths(inhale/exhale), you can realise to gain information the state of your nervous system(brain), & for those of you who are way more emotionally in touch(not only women), breathing exercise/ breathwork such as the box breathing, can help you with bringing your state of energy to a more stable environment through the day without any crashes when the day is done.


A simpler form of breathing practice/breathwork for the mind is something called Zen breathing, to help quickly lower the heart rate, stabilise your nervous system, & ease the physical body, is to exhale slower than your inhale. Say you count your inhale for 4 counts, exhale for double the time, or close to it(just longer & slower exhale). This is something worthy to remember people, that when we inhale, we increase energy(activation of the sympathetic nervous system), & as we exhale, we facilitate the rest-digest(para-sympathetic). This is one of the reasons in some classes that we facilitate to increase energy(life), we put more emphasis on inhaling than exhale. Nose breathing is also one of the things you want to practice as it slows down the breaths & you use less chest to breathe(yes practice nose breathing). In our breathwork class, we often end it with Zen breathing to slow everything down & settle the mind & body to relax.


Breath is life, & breathwork injects more of it into your life, & body, for some people breathwork is life-changing once introduced to a class.

What is the best breathing technique for anxiety?

Did you know deep breathing may help back pain

If you are normally stressed or find yourself in a stressful moment, you'd form a breathing pattern with your chest. The best breathing techniques/ breathwork for anxiety are the ones that involve deep diaphragmatic breathing. They are the foundation to making you have less anxiety, improved wellbeing(mental health). Best practices also come from nostril breathing, & belly breathing(diaphragmatic breathing).


Do a quick check to see if you are a chest breather or diaphragm breather.

1. Lie or sit comfortably(lying down flat is a better test)
2. Place one hand on your belly, & one on the lower part of your belly button
3. Take a deep breath of air in(don't forget to exhale)
4. Feel which one of your hand(belly or chest)
5. Do this a few times
6. You will know the answer which hand rises way more than the other one.

People who don't like meditation, where you sit in silence, should try breathing exercises/ breathwork sessions as it allows you to connect to your mind, & body on a deeper level. Breathwork practice should be used as a tool, one that helps you regulate how uncertainties in life affect us. Not only does it effectively help reduce stress, breathwork also gets your body to be at the ideal alkaline level. The benefits of having you do specific breathing exercise are so long that there isn't really any reason not to do a breathwork class, unless you have a specific medical condition(s), or you are pregnant(gentler-specific breathing techniques are available). If uncertain about your condition & breathwork, always seek medical advise.

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Does pranayama class reduce stress?

Pranayam reduces stress

Meditation practices in a class such as pranayam help you to not only get a deeper sense of your mind & body, it helps with stress management. Pranayam is referred to as the "life force", thus controlling your breath allows you to control your own life force. Many people who seek stress relief can practice simple mindfulness practice into your life, & improve mental health through a breathwork class, or a pranayam class.
When the yoga teacher in class repeats "belly breathing, belly breathing", this is a form of diaphragmatic breathing practice that helps shift the gear down on your brain. Pranayama techniques are very similar to breathwork techniques in terms of the emphasis on nostril breathing, & they allow clients like you to achieve a form of tranquillity that is achieved via traditional meditation techniques.
In pranayam class, however, there are certain specific techniques that help to facilitate different half of the brain to promote either energy or the state of rest & digest using the ring finger/ thumb to hold one nostril at a time at either inhalation breath, exhalation breath cycle, or one full breath cycle. Alternate nostril breath techniques are one of the techniques that breathwork doesn't really emphasise on, but some teachers still do it in a breathwork class as they may have a yoga trained background & a strong understanding of the application of certain breath.

What to expect during a breathwork session(class)?

There are no two same class for a breathwork class in terms of what techniques you may be guided to do unless it's a specific class( eg people with asthma, dyspnea, breath dysfunction, addiction, etc). However, people who attend a class typically may feel certain things associated with the breathing exercises such as feelings of tingling sensations in parts of the body like the face, ears, arms, hands, maybe even the whole body, & yes, it's a perfectly normal process from the breathing exercises/breathwork in a class. You can expect a lower heart rate as well after class, which means, your nervous system is not as fired up as before you arrived at class. Of course, some people may not feel it but your breath will be slower & more subtle during class, & after class.


If you're ready to gain all the benefits of a breathwork exercise class, join our exclusive clients & practice various techniques to manipulate your breath today & it may just change your life! Book your class today.

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Author

Jab is a sports medicine trainer who loves to work on the breath, having learnt from various teachers such as Wim Hof, Alsu Kashapova, Patick G McKeown, & so many more. He has conducted breathing, classes, & workshop to help people understand a simple yet powerful way to enhance our being & improve our quality of life.