Breathwork for

Digestion

Breathwork can help to unlock better digestion. When you consciously control your breath, you trigger your body's natural relaxation mode – the same one that helps you digest food properly. There’s a reason we call it rest and digest!

Deep, rhythmic breaths stimulate the vagus nerve, a master controller of digestion. This boosts blood flow to your gut, providing the oxygen and nutrients it needs to work efficiently. It also encourages the release of digestive enzymes that break down your food, while simultaneously calming your mind and reducing stress that can disrupt digestion. In essence, breathwork helps create the ideal internal environment for your body to process food and absorb nutrients effectively.

  1. Stress Reduction: Stress can wreak havoc on your gut. Breathwork techniques activate the parasympathetic nervous system, counteracting stress and promoting healthy digestion.

  2. Improved Blood Flow: Deep breathing increases oxygen circulation, delivering vital nutrients to your digestive organs and promoting optimal function.

  3. Muscle Relaxation: Breathwork helps relax abdominal muscles, easing tension and discomfort often associated with digestive issues.

  4. Gut-Brain Connection: The gut and brain are intimately linked. By calming your mind through breathwork, you also soothe your gut.

Breathwork Techniques to Try

Remember, there's no pressure to be perfect. These techniques are about self-compassion, not achievement. Find what feels good for you, and be gentle with yourself.

    • Find a comfortable position, sitting or lying down.

    • Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly.

    • Breathe in slowly through your nose, letting your belly expand while your chest stays relatively still.

    • Exhale gently through your mouth, feeling your belly soften.

    • Repeat for a few minutes, noticing the rise and fall of your breath.

    • Inhale for a count of 4.

    • Hold your breath for a count of 4.

    • Exhale for a count of 4.

    • Hold your breath for a count of 4.

    • Repeat for several rounds.

    • Sit comfortably with a straight spine.

    • Use your right thumb to gently close your right nostril and inhale deeply through your left nostril.

    • Close your left nostril with your ring finger, and exhale through your right nostril.

    • Inhale through your right nostril, then close it and exhale through the left.  

    • Continue this pattern for a few minutes, observing the calming effect on your mind.

    • Find a comfortable seated or lying down position.

    • Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose for a count of 4.

    • Exhale slowly and completely through your mouth for a count of 6-8, ensuring your exhale is longer than your inhale.

    • Pause briefly after exhaling before inhaling again.

    • Repeat for several minutes, gradually increasing the exhale count as you become comfortable.

Tips for Incorporating Breathwork into Your Life

  • Practice Before Meals: Try a few minutes of breathwork before eating to prime your digestive system.

  • Mindful Eating: Combine breathwork with mindful eating practices, focusing on each bite and chewing thoroughly.

  • Regular Practice: Aim for consistent breathwork sessions, even when you're not experiencing digestive issues, to support overall gut health.

  • Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to how your body responds to different techniques and adjust as needed.

Did You Enjoy This
Breathing Technique?

Here are some other ways to experience breathwork
with Breathing Space.

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Free Breathwork Resources

  • Not sure if Breathing Space is the right place for you? Come and join our weekly free online breathwork sessions led by our current trainees, and faculty! Five times a week.

    Join us for breathwork here

  • We create high quality breathwork resources every month. You are welcome to check them out! The only string is that we ask for credit if using any of the materials.

    Download Your Copies Here

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Practice Breathwork

  • We offer access to a library of breathwork techniques, guided meditations and conscious connected breathwork journeys. Also monthly live breathwork sessions with Benedict Beaumont, founder of Breathing Space.

    Get Your Access Here

  • We have a collection of low cost breathwork courses including Rewire, our 12 week transformational breathwork course that all Breathwork Facilitator Students go on. If you take the course and then later want to do the Facilitator Training, the price will be discounted from your Breathwork Facilitator training program costs.

    Check out our courses here