I first started getting into breathwork and was awakened to the power of controlled and conscious breathing give or take 3, 4 years ago, when I was struggling to get a hold of my health and came across The Wim Hof Method on YouTube. It just so happened to appear on my recommendations and so I thought, why not. For those who have tried the WHM, you probably know that it is quite the intense breathwork, and for those who have never tried it, I recommend giving it a try and experiencing it for yourself at least once.
Wim Hof Breathing Follow Along
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tybOi4hjZFQ&t=406s
Explanation of what it does physiologically
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-r35dBbAB8
I practiced it regularly for a while and I would say it did help to serve as a catalyst to progressing towards taking back control of my health and optimizing my health.
From there, I began to get very interested in breathing, the mechanics, and different forms of breathing techniques. Therefore, I picked up books such as Breath by James Nestor, and The Oxygen Advantage by Patrick McKeown as well as McKeown's other books. Both of these authors, one a curious journalist, and the other a professional breathing expert, both came to the same realization that if we were to change anything with our breathing right now, it would be to become a better nasal breather. Nestor's book is more surface level and based off his personal struggles and experiences, while McKeown's books get more in depth into the mechanics and physiology of breathing in certain ways. If you are intrigued by the idea of optimal breathing, I recommend you check the works of both authors out!
My personal progress with breathing, breathwork, and breathing practices, has been starting with the WHM, and then learning and practicing the Oxygen Advantage method, which is a method that emphasizes the gradual building up of tolerance to CO2 within the body, to now mixing and using what I've learned as well as trying out and experimenting different breathing techniques in order to experience first hand the effects of each. As of late, I've been playing around with different breathholds. The Oxygen Advantage emphasizes breathholds after the exhale, which can help with building CO2 tolerance as well as help with vasodilation and allowing oxygen to get deeper into your tissues. But I've also been playing around with breathholds after the inhale, which purely based off personal experience feels to bring better clarity to any sort of brain heavy activities. After listening to the Huberman Podcast episode on breathing, I decided to try box breathing as well.
Huberman Episode on Breathing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4m_PdFbu-s&t=11s
With that being said, what are your overall experiences with breathing? Do you bring attention and focus to breathing at times? Do you practice any sort of breathwork and what are the experiences and potential benefits you have felt? Would love to hear yalls inputs, experiences, and opinions!