It might seem strange or too simple that breathing, something that comes so naturally to us, can have a bigger impact on our lives than it already does. We breathe to stay alive. However, the benefits of breathing do not end with carbon dioxide and oxygen.
How Breathwork Impacts Recovery
Breathwork can be part of any sort of personal growth, but it can play a significant role in recovery. Addiction is a disease that takes over your life in more ways than one. Addiction not only takes control of your happiness and health but also impacts your work, relationships, and other aspects of your life.
To find peace and begin healing, you need to tackle the causes and impacts of addiction in your life. These can be related to undiagnosed mental health issues, trauma, or environmental factors. Regardless of your path, breathwork is critical to reconnecting to your body in its natural state.
Breathwork helps reduce stress and anxiety, and other possible results of addiction. Through practicing breathwork, you may notice benefits such as:
- Improved sleep
- Better mood
- Lower blood pressure
- Stronger respiratory function
- Improved metabolism
- Regulated nervous system
- Focused concentration
Using Breathing to Cope
When first starting your treatment and recovery journey, there may be many stressors you encounter. These can be environmental, physical, or psychological. Drugs and alcohol are often used to cope with these stressors.
However, when you remove substances from the equation, new healthy coping mechanisms need to take their place. The stresses of life do not disappear when you stop using drugs or alcohol. Instead, you can use breathing as a way to cope.
Breathing is a great coping mechanism because it can help you relax naturally. Breathing is a practice that doesn’t require external equipment or a specific environment; this coping mechanism can be used whenever and wherever.
Breathing Exercises You Can Try
There are several different ways to breathe and different methods you can try to help you cope in recovery:
- 4-7-8 breathing: During this breathing exercise, you exhale all of the air from your body, then inhale through your nose for four counts. Then, hold your breath for seven counts and exhale for eight. This process should be repeated four times.
- Balanced breathing: During balanced breathing, you inhale for four counts and then exhale for four counts. Then, repeat this process four times.
Breathwork is more than your natural way of breathing; it is a technique that requires practice and focus. Once you create a routine with your breathing, it can significantly impact your level of relaxation and connection to your body as a whole. Through various breathing methods, you can reduce stress and anxiety, which can help you focus on your recovery. At The Guest House, we offer multiple therapeutic and alternative methods for treating addiction and mental health disorders, including conscious connected breathwork. Learn more about our program by calling (855) 483-7800.