Breathwork: A Beginner's Guide to Breathing Techniques

Oct 16

We've established two things in the first two articles of this series: Breathwork is a very broad term. And there is legitimate science showing that deliberately changing breathing can produce measurable physiological effects—although the evidence is much more nuanced than some wellness claims make it sound.

So now we get to actually breathe.

There are many breathwork techniques. This isn't intended to be an exhaustive list or a prescription. Think of it as a sampler platter. Try something. See how it feels. Keep what you like.

Personally, I recommend starting with the simplest option before introducing complicated ratios and breath holds.

1. Belly Breathing

This is where I like to start. Belly breathing is commonly called diaphragmatic breathing.

Get comfortable sitting or lying down. Place one hand on your upper chest and another over your abdomen if having that physical feedback helps you.

Take a comfortable breath in through your nose and notice the movement of your abdomen as your diaphragm descends. Then slowly let the breath leave. Repeat.

You're not deliberately trying to shove your stomach outward, and you're definitely not competing to inhale the largest quantity of oxygen ever achieved by a human being. Just breathe. Notice. Repeat.

2. Box Breathing

Once belly breathing feels comfortable, box breathing is my preferred next step.

Imagine the four equal sides of a square: Inhale → Hold → Exhale → Hold.

A common version is: inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4. Then repeat.

What I like about this technique isn't just the breathing. The counting gives my brain something to do. When my attention wanders off to work, dinner, an email I haven't answered, or an embarrassing thing I said in 2009, I have somewhere simple to bring it back.

Four isn't a magical number. A shorter comfortable count is perfectly reasonable. Learn the breath first. Then add the box.

3. Coherent or Slow-Paced Breathing

Slow-paced breathing is one of the better-studied areas of breathwork. Research protocols frequently use breathing rates around five to six breaths per minute, although exact protocols vary.

A simple version might involve gently inhaling for approximately five seconds and exhaling for approximately five seconds, producing roughly six complete breaths per minute.

Unlike box breathing, a simple coherent-breathing pattern may use a smooth inhale and exhale without breath holds. Both are breathwork, but you're doing different things.

4. 4-7-8 Breathing

This technique introduces an uneven breathing ratio: inhale for 4, hold for 7, exhale for 8.

The long exhalation is a defining feature. A seven-count breath hold may feel comfortable to one person and decidedly unpleasant to another.

If you're straining, becoming anxious, or desperately waiting for permission to breathe again, I'm fairly confident we've missed the point.

5. Alternate-Nostril Breathing

Alternate-nostril breathing comes from yogic breathing traditions and is often associated with nadi shodhana pranayama.

Using the fingers, the practitioner gently closes one nostril, breathes through the other, and then alternates sides according to the particular practice being used.

There are multiple variations, some of which incorporate breath retention and specific ratios. I would encourage people who want to explore the traditional practice more deeply to learn from a qualified instructor rather than assuming a 30-second social-media demonstration represents the whole tradition.

6. Breath Awareness

This might be the simplest technique of all: don't change anything. Just notice your breath.

Where can you feel it? Your nostrils? Chest? Abdomen? Can you notice the beginning of an inhalation? The transition into an exhalation?

This is where breathwork overlaps most obviously with mindfulness meditation. Your breath becomes an anchor. Your mind wanders. You notice. You return. Your mind wanders again because, congratulations, you have a functioning human brain. You return again.

What if focusing on breathing makes me anxious?

Then stop. I mean that sincerely.

Breathwork isn't a competition, and discomfort isn't evidence that you're doing some especially powerful form of healing. If deliberate breathing makes you dizzy, lightheaded, short of breath, panicky, or otherwise uncomfortable, return to your normal breathing.

Breath holds aren't required. Counting isn't required. Breathwork itself isn't required. People with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions or other medical concerns that affect breathing should discuss breathing exercises with an appropriate healthcare professional.

From a trauma-informed perspective, your breath doesn't have to be your mindfulness anchor. Notice sounds instead. Feel your feet against the ground. Try a body scan. Take a walk. Notice the trees. Listen to music.

Which one should I choose?

The one you'll actually use.

For me, that's why belly breathing followed by box breathing remains my favorite progression. Start by learning to notice your breath without making it complicated. Once that becomes comfortable, add some structure.

Maybe eventually you'll explore coherent breathing, alternate-nostril breathing, or another technique entirely. Or maybe you'll discover that simple belly breathing is all you need.

There are no extra relaxation points for choosing the most complicated technique. You have been breathing since the moment you entered this world. Breathwork is simply an opportunity to occasionally stop taking that remarkable little process for granted.

Sources & Further Reading

Shao, R., Man, I. S. C., & Lee, T. M. C. (2024). Slow-Paced Breathing Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12671-023-02294-2

Fincham, G. W., et al. (2023). Breathwork Meta-Analysis.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-27247-y

National Geographic (2025). Guide to Mindful Breathing.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/health/article/health-benefits-of-breathing-exercises

Little, A. L. (2025). A52 Breath Method narrative review.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12341363/

Breathwork for Chronic Stress and Mental Health review.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12372116/

Cleveland Clinic. Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercises & Benefits.