Breath Holding

Breath holding is one of the most powerful tools in the Breatheology Method, as it is a complex mechanism that involves both the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system. Thus, it can be utilized for various goals with positive results.

Holding your breath triggers the Mammalian Dive Response. This reflex is an intriguing physiological mechanism that allows the body to manage and tolerate lower levels of oxygen.

Breath holding is also a potent tool in PTSD and trauma relief. When you hold your breath, you learn to become comfortable in an uncomfortable situation. Once you master this, you can apply this to other aspects of your life as well, including ridding yourself of stress and anxiety.

In order to overcome the most powerful reflex of life – the urge to breathe – one has to become completely relaxed and one with the universe. It is at this stage when you achieve flow state – where time ceases to exist and you are fully submerged in the moment.

Pranayama Breathing

Pranayama Breathing is one of the most important tools of the Breatheology Method. It goes way back to the ancient Yogic tradition.

In fact, pranayama is the fourth limb of ashtanga yoga and is often translated as “breath control”, which is not wrong, but the essence of pranayama is to manage and take up prana through our breath.

Pranayama connects the physical world, our body, with the psychological and spiritual one, represented by our mind and subconscious.

It is important to gradually move to more challenging breathing patterns – respecting the process. A mindset that is also ingrained in the Breatheology Method.

Pranayama mainly involves the parasympathetic nervous system, strengthening the connection between the breath and the heart. There are, however, various vigorous cleansing exercises that trigger the sympathetic nervous system.

Hyperventilation Breathing

Hyperventilation breathing is one of the tools of the Breatheology Method. When you hyperventilate, you increase the amount of breaths per minute. It is a heavy type of breathing that activates the sympathetic nervous system.

We often hyperventilate when we exert ourselves. Lifting a heavy object, doing an intense workout or making a sprint to not miss the bus can leave us out of breath and panting for more.

As our need for oxygen increases and more importantly, carbon dioxide levels drop, our urge to breath increases.

There are many positive benefits to hyperventilation breathing on command.

Hyperventilation breathing is a great way to start the day. Firing up the sympathetic nervous system through hyperventilation breathing puts your body in a state of readiness and wakefulness.

You can gain body heat through hyperventilation. You create an inner fire by breathing very hectic from the lower dantian, the area around your belly. This is also called Tummo breathing.

Hypercapnic Training

Hypercapnic training is one of the tools of the Breatheology Method. It is a slow type of breathing that increases the level of carbon dioxide in the body.

Higher levels of carbon dioxide in the body helps against asthma and a myriad of other breathing problems. This also the underlying concept of Buteyko breathing.

Carbon dioxide is more than just a waste product of breathing. It dilates the blood vessels, allowing oxygenated blood to flow easily to every part in our body. It also is a signalling molecule and plays an important part in the regulation of our breath.

You can learn to build up CO2 tolerance through breath holding and increase the internal level of carbon dioxide in the blood.

Increasing the amount of carbon dioxide through hypercapnic training can furthermore be useful to balance the pH level of the blood.

Holotropic Breathing

Holotropic breathwork is one of the tools of the Breatheology Method. It is transformational in nature with the ability to move the mind into alternative states of consciousness.

The foundation for holotropic breathwork was laid by Stanislav Grof, a psychiatrist that in the ‘60s and ‘70s developed the system as an alternative to psychotropic drugs to explore, heal and gain insight in the human psyche.

Achieving a different state of consciousness can be helpful in letting go of anger, fear and trauma. For this holotropic breathwork is often used in combination with therapy.

Another example of holotropic breathwork is rebirthing. This is achieved by heavy breathing for a prolonged period of time until your mind starts to open up. Some people are able to place their mind to when they were born and experience a rebirth to rid them of traumas experienced early in life.

Coherent Breathing

Coherent breathing is another tool in the Breatheology Method. It is the new kid on the block and offers a more scientific approach to breathing.

Designed by Stephen Elliott, coherent breathing is centered around the concept of slowing the breath to about five breaths per minute, which is considered the optimal frequency.

The research is still in its infancy but the early results are promising as this type of breathing has positive results in reducing the effects of insomnia, stress, depression, anxiety, ADHD and PTSD.

An important aspect of Coherent Breathing is the notion that HRV (Heart Rate Variability), whichis the manner of which electrical impulses move across the heart, is a result of the sinusoidal rhythm in the blood – the Valsalva wave – produced by diaphragmatic breathing.