Breathwork in Hypnotherapy
Breathwork relates to any type of breathing exercises or techniques that are performed to improve our mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing. Scientific research shows that 2/3 of our energy comes from our breath and 70% of our bodies’ by-products are excreted through breathing. Breathing has a close connection to our nervous system. By learning effective breathing techniques and becoming more aware of our breathing we can have more command over the way we feel and just naturally feel more energy. There are even studies that show a lot of neck and back pain is caused by shallow breathing when we are multi-tasking for example.
We breathe on average 20,000 times a day without even thinking about it. By having a more understanding our breathing and aiming to take more deep and nurturing breaths during our day, we can feel better, be more present in the moment and have better health. As I often share with my massage clients, breathing down to below our rib cage stimulates the vagus nerve which is critical for sending messages to our bodies that it’s time to relax and be in the flow, which leads to long-term improvements in mood, wellbeing and resilience.
A breathing exercise I use in hypnotherapy and massage that you can use right now or next time you are stressed:
Inhale through nose feeling the area below your rib cage rise for a count of 4
Hold your breath for a count of 4 (simply hold your breath avoiding tightening or gripping in your tummy)
Exhale through the nose for a count of 4 feeling your belly fall slowly
Hold Breath for a count of 4
Repeat 4 rounds