Breathwork is more than just a set of techniques. It’s about understanding the why and how of breathing, so you can use it effectively to regulate your nervous system and overall well-being.

When you understand the principles behind breathing, you empower yourself to make informed decisions and you will be able to analyze and evaluate any breathing technique you come across.​
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THIS in itself is a gamechanger.
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Suddenly, you are not a sheep blindly following instructions anymore, but an empowered practitioner.

As breathwork becomes more and more popular, it's important to be discerning about the information you consume and the guided practices you engage in (including the information I'm sharing with you).
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As I always say - the breath is incredibly powerful AND with a lot of power comes a lot of responsibility.
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Please read, integrate the information and share it with your community.
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Let's spread more helpful information to keep breathwork a safe and effective practice.

Note: It’s important to note that trauma can sometimes affect how we experience changes in breathing. What might be calming for one person could induce a stress response in another. Always listen to your body and proceed gently.

Let's get into it:

Every breath you take influences your nervous system in profound ways. Here are some key principles to keep in mind:

👉 1. Inhale VS Exhale

Inhale → Activating/Upregulating

• Breathing in stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, giving you energy and focus.

Exhale → Calming/Downregulating

• Breathing out activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes relaxation.

Breathing practices that emphasize long exhales help calm the nervous system, while practices that promote big inhales are more energizing and activating.

👉 2. Nose VS Mouth

Nose-breathing = Parasympathetic (calming)

• Breathing through your nose is inherently calming and supports overall respiratory health.

Mouth-breathing = Sympathetic (activating)

• Breathing through your mouth can trigger a stress response, especially when done rapidly or unconsciously.

Breathing through your nose during slow practices is generally more grounding and restorative.

👉 3. Breathing Frequency

Slow Breathing (10 or fewer breaths per minute) → Calming

• This type of breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system and promotes relaxation.

Fast Breathing (25 or more breaths per minute) → Activating

• Fast breathing practices like Breath of Fire, Wim Hof breathingor Conscious Connected Breathing trigger a stress response, which can be used intentionally to build resilience, boost energy or access altered states of consciousness.

Pairing slow, nasal breathing with extended exhales is one of the most effective ways to calm your nervous system.

👉 4. Breathing Speed

Slow breathing = higher levels of CO2

Fast breathing = lower levels of CO2

Breathwork practices influence the levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in your body:

• More breathing off-gasses more CO2, which results in less oxygen being delivered to the brain, organs, muscles etc (see the Bohr effect).
• Therefore: NO - more air in does not equal better when it comes to your breathing patter and a daily practice!

Nope - more air in does not equal better! Sometimes, less is more.

Putting It All Together

Here’s a quick guide to the effects of different breathing patterns:

• Slow + nose-breathing + extended exhales → Very calming
• Fast + mouth-breathing + big, long inhales → Very activating

Understanding these principles helps you choose breathing practices that align with your goals, whether that’s calming down after a stressful day, boosting energy, or building resilience to stress.

Breathwork is a powerful tool - but only when used with knowledge and intention. By understanding the foundational principles of how your breath impacts your nervous system, you can take control of your practice and achieve the results you desire.

👀 Recommended Resources 👀

📖 Book

​Restoring Prana by Robin Rothenberg

This is one of my favorite books on breathing. It explores the connection between breath, health, and the nervous system, drawing from ancient yogic wisdom and modern science. Robin is a former student of Patrick McKeown and emphasizes the importance of functional breathing patterns to regulate the nervous system, reduce stress, and improve overall well-being. It's also full of practical techniques to restore healthy breathing.

(Should also be required reading for every Yoga teacher)

🎶 Audio

​Forest Frequencies and Gentle Night Rain​

This is my secret to deep focus: A combination of calm music and rain sounds. These two in combination are my current recipe. I'm currently listening to them both as I'm writing and compiling this newsletter edition. Try it out and let me know how it goes.

🎧 Podcast

​Overcoming OCD and the Mental Health Crisis​

A heartfelt and wide-ranging conversation between Paul Chek and his client-turned-coach Greg Schmaus, detailing Greg's journey of overcoming severe OCD, anxiety, and depression through holistic and integrative healing practices. I came across this episode from 2020 by accident and thoroughly enjoyed it.

🎥 Video Podcast

​The Investigative Journalist Taking on Wim Hof, Andrew Huberman, Peter Attia and David Sinclair​

This conversation explores the rise of wellness influencers, particularly figures like Wim Hof and Andrew Huberman, and critically examines the intersection of science, marketing, and personal branding in the health and wellness industry.

Spoiler: Looks like blue light blocking glasses are pretty useless (source).

🖊️ Article

​Fixing Back Pain Permanently​

I've had my fair share of chronic pain over the years and after having tried out so many different approaches, I can confidently say that this resource is one of the best summaries of what actually works. I have healed my back / shoulder / you-name-it pain with many of the strategies he outlines. This reflects my view that there is no one magic cure out there, but that healing chronic issues always requires a variety of modalities.

🌬️ Breathe With Me Live 🌬️

​Breathwork for Emotional Release + Integration​

Breathwork Alchemy's monthly/bi-monthly powerful signature deep dive session.

Date: Sunday, January 19th 2025
​Time: 6pm CET Berlin / 5pm GMT London / 12pm EST New York
​Where: Online via Zoom

Transformational Breathwork is an active meditation using conscious connected breathing. It is designed to:

• release stress, tension and held emotion
• improve mental clarity & focus
• connect you to your inner wisdom, creativity & awareness
• help repattern your nervous system and mind by completing emotional stress cycles to return back to homeostasis for increased self-regulation

So let's get together to heal, feel and release using the power of the breath.

In order to make these offerings as accessible as possible, I am offering sliding scale pricing for this session, so you can choose how much you can pay based on your financial resources.

🪐 What's Happening in My Universe 🪐

• 🐣 We are currently exploring a potential fertility journey and have taken the first steps to see if it's in the cards for us. I'm not the youngest anymore, but my body is super healthy - so let's see!
• 📖 I have been diving into the realm of fantasy books, which I have never been interested in, but am unexpectedly enjoying a book by Brandon Sanderson (who, as it turns out, is a pretty rad dude and prolific author).
• 🎥 I got myself a DJI Osmo Pocket 3, which is a super fun little camera. I've been wanting to get back into creator mode for a while (which was my main gig before diving into breathwork and trauma healing) and create more cinematic type videos on a separate channel.

I always love hearing from you, just hit reply and say hi and let me know what you enjoyed the most in this week's newsletter edition!

Keep breathing, keep feeling, stay awesome!

Conni. 🐋

PS:

I keep receiving messages about working 1:1 with me — right now my spots are full, but I plan to have one spot opening up in February/March. If that's of interest, head over here for all details.

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Conni Biesalski

Nervous System Specialist
Breathwork Facilitator & Meditation Teacher
Somatic Trauma Practitioner (Somatic Experiencing©️ & NARM©️-informed)
Founder Breathwork Alchemy​
Co-Founder Intesoma©️ Breathwork Teacher Training​

“Regulate your nervous system, process your emotions, and come home to your body.”