Super stressed and need a moment to regroup? Feeling jittery before a race or presentation and want to find calm? Noticing some sleepiness and need an energy boost? No matter how you’re feeling, taking a deep breath is always a good idea. In fact, using your breath more consciously and consistently through breathwork can help you keep your cool, improve your mood, boost your alertness, and promote overall wellbeing.

But what is breathwork exactly, and how can you use it to your advantage? Keep reading to discover the ins and outs of this accessible and powerful wellness practice, according to experts.

What Is Breathwork?

Broadly speaking, breathwork involves deliberately controlling your breath to elicit a specific outcome—usually to support physical, mental, emotional, or even spiritual health.

Breathwork has been employed for centuries, spanning traditions and cultures, such as yoga, Tibetan Buddhism, and Eastern medicine practices, among others. (You may already know that breathing is an integral part of yoga: Pranayama, aka breath control, is one of the eight limbs of the ancient practice.)

There are many types of breathwork and contexts in which they’re beneficial. “Breathwork can have different effects such as energizing, calming, enhancing mental focus, and improving athletic performance,” says Marlynn Wei, MD, a board-certified holistic integrative psychotherapist and psychiatrist. “It can be tailored to reach different goals like deepening relaxation, endurance, and attention.”

You can also use breathwork to slow down or ignite your heart rate, as well as to regulate your nervous system and other systems that control your body, according to Peloton instructor Chelsea Jackson Roberts, who teaches breathwork classes.

When Is Breathwork Used?

Breathwork can be used in a variety of contexts, including but not limited to:

Breathwork vs. Breathwork Meditation

While breathwork generally refers to any intentional breathing technique to promote a desired outcome, breathwork meditation is more specific. In the latter context, Chelsea says that there’s still a concentration or emphasis on working with the breath. However, the goal with meditation is typically to quiet your mind, facilitate mindfulness, and stay present—rather than, say, to get a quick burst of energy or get in the zone to achieve a workout PR.

In addition, consciously controlling your breath is a natural part of other wellness and fitness modalities (such as yoga, Pilates, barre, and mindfulness meditation), but breathwork meditation typically involves putting a single breathing technique front and center. 

It’s also worth noting that mindfulness meditation typically involves focusing on the breath for the purpose of staying present. Breathwork meditation, on the other hand, is more active and intentional, eliciting a stronger and more immediate physiological or emotional response.

Benefits of Breathwork

Breathwork has no shortage of benefits for your wellbeing. Below, explore some of the top advantages associated with the practice.

1. Less Stress and Anxiety

“Practicing calming breathwork regularly reduces stress and anxiety,” Dr. Wei says. That’s because it develops your relaxation response, allowing you to be better equipped to handle stressors when they arise.

One small randomized controlled trial from 2017 published in the journal Neurological Sciences found that weekly 90-minute deep breathing sessions (performed over 10 weeks) improved mood and stress in healthy university studies. This was based on both self-reported and objective parameters, the latter including heart rate and salivary cortisol levels.

Plus, according to a 2023 meta-analysis of 12 studies published in Scientific Reports, breathwork was generally associated with lower levels of stress than control conditions. The practice was also found to generally promote mental health, although researchers note that more nuanced studies are needed.

2. Increased Focus

If you’re looking for a natural way to heighten focus, breathwork is a solid tool to add to your toolkit.

One 2017 study, published in Frontiers in Psychology, investigated the effects of diaphragmatic breathing (aka belly breathing, which employs low and slow deep breaths involving the diaphragm and abdominal muscles) in 40 healthy adult participants. Those who completed 20 sessions of the breathing exercises over eight weeks experienced significant boosts in sustained attention—not to mention significantly improved moods and lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

3. Better Mood

Both Chelsea and Dr. Wei call out positive mood shifts as a significant benefit of breathwork.

According to a randomized controlled study published in 2023 in Cell Reports Medicine, even five minutes of breathwork daily has the potential to boost mood and reduce anxiety. Cyclic sighing (i.e., inhaling deeply through your nose, taking a second “sip” of breath, and sighing as you slowly exhale through your mouth) was also most effective for the mood-boosting pick-me-up and reducing respiratory rate (or how many breaths you take per minute).

4. Enhanced Inner Awareness

While Chelsea finds that breathwork is beneficial to power her workouts, she especially prizes breathwork as a means for self-awareness and personal growth.

“I love breathwork because it is an accessible way to open the mind to meditation,” she says. “I think it’s essential for a person who wants to become more aware of the body’s way of responding to the shifts and changes of life.”

5. Respiratory Perks

According to the Cell Reports Medicine study above, controlled breathing has a direct influence on respiratory rate. When doing relaxing types of breathwork—namely those with slow exhales—you can experience immediate physiological and psychological calm by activating the vagus nerve, a key part of the parasympathetic nervous system (aka the rest-and-digest phase).

Chelsea adds that breathwork can help you sustain an activity that requires the respiratory system in a more intentional and deliberate manner. For instance, a 2022 review published in Frontiers in Psychology notes that breathing strategies (for example, breathing deeply or syncing a certain amount of steps to each breath) can lead to fitness-related improvements. Specifically, these techniques may enhance ventilatory efficiency and exercise performance (namely running) over time, especially in people with respiratory limitations. Researchers add that these breathwork strategies may also help folks enjoy running more and make them more likely to stick with it in the long-term.

6. Potentially Improved Cardiovascular Health

According to a meta-analysis of 15 studies published in 2023 in the International Journal of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Risk and Prevention, breathing exercises have a “modest but significant effect” on lowering blood pressure, while also causing a significant decrease in heart rate. 

7. Instant Results

Let’s be clear: You won’t miraculously cure anxiety or high blood pressure with a single breathwork session. However, you may experience a few immediate effects from the practice, such as positive changes in heart rate, less stress, or enhanced mood (depending on what style of breathwork you’re doing). This kind of instant gratification will hopefully help you feel better in the moment, but it may also encourage you to stick with this wellness practice for the long haul.

“While everyone may respond differently to breathwork, you can typically see the impact of breathwork even after a five-minute session,” Chelsea says. “But you will certainly see the impact after a regular and consistent practice.”

Types of Breathwork

There are many types of breathwork to choose from, each of which has its own unique benefits. While the following list is by no means exhaustive, it’s a solid introduction for those who are new to the breathwork or want to diversify their existing routine:

You can explore many of these breathwork practices on the Peloton App, following step-by-step guidance from instructors. From box breathing to alternate nostril breathing and beyond, there are plenty of classes to explore.

Tips for Starting a Breathwork Practice

Ready to start, diversify, or advance your breathwork practice? Here are a few pro tips for making it happen.

Test the Waters

New to breathwork and don’t know where you start? You can start by aligning the type of breathwork with the effects that will serve you at different times of the day. “I would begin with trying calming breathwork (like the Sitali breath) before bed, and a more invigorating practice (like breath of fire) at the beginning of the day,” Chelsea says.

Stay Consistent

As is the case with pretty much every practice, consistency is key for best results. “A single session of breathwork can lower cortisol levels and improve mood, but the benefits grow with regular practice,” Dr. Wei says. “You are building a reservoir of resilience from which you can draw upon later.”

If the commitment sounds like more than you’re bargaining for, Dr. Wei reminds us that even a few minutes of breathwork practice daily is all you need to notice  benefits. Plus, it’ll be well worth the effort when you inevitably face challenges down the road and have breathwork as a readily available tactic to help you find calm. “It’s like working out a muscle. When you really need it, it’s there for you when you’re facing something unexpected or stressful,” she says.

Practice with Safety in Mind

Certain types of breathwork are more intense than others, both physiologically and emotionally. “Some techniques—especially those that are rapid or deep breaths—can cause lightheadedness or dizziness for some people,” Dr. Wei cautions. “Sometimes rapid breath practices can mimic the feeling of a panic attack and trigger anxiety attacks, so you may want to try gentle practices.”

You’ll also want to take it slow. Experts from the American Heart Association (AHA) recommend that beginners start with a maximum of five breath cycles at a time, as exhaling too much carbon dioxide might make you feel dizzy.

All things considered, while breathwork may sometimes be challenging, it shouldn’t be scary or painful. If things get too intense, stop and consult your healthcare provider as needed. Dr. Wei adds that those who have asthma, lung issues, or cardiovascular issues should consult their physician before starting a breathwork practice. People with mental health conditions should also check with a healthcare provider before trying breathwork, the AHA notes.

The Takeaway

Those new to breathwork and breathwork meditation may be surprised to learn that controlled breathing has so much power to influence your mind, mood, and overall sense of wellbeing. 

Better yet, there are so many types of breathwork to choose from (with tons of guided breathwork classes available on the Peloton App), so you’ll likely find a few that resonate with you. As you explore these breathing techniques, Dr. Wei advises being sure to listen to your body and get a sense of what does and doesn’t serve you.