Breathwork’s Secret Sauce!

The Missing Breath: Why Faster Isn’t Always Better in Today’s Breathwork Boom

Breathwork has surged in popularity, becoming a fixture in wellness circles, retreats, and even corporate boardrooms. But amid the hype around "transformational" and "fast-breathing" techniques—like holotropic, Wim Hof, or rebirthing—many practitioners and enthusiasts are missing the forest for the trees. The vital, overlooked power of slow, conscious breathing has been marginalized in large part because learning to relax just isn’t as sexy and easily marketable as the buzz you get from basic hyperventilation.

Dan Brulé, Patrick McKeown, and James Nestor—figures whose contributions have helped shape modern breath awareness—remind us that breath is not just a tool for transcendence, but a daily ally in calming the nervous system and regulating our inner state.

The Allure of the Fast Lane

It’s easy to see why fast-breathing methods captivate people. These practices can induce powerful, cathartic experiences, a sense of emotional release, and even feelings of euphoria. They promise transformation. But such breathwork styles, often involving hyperventilation-like patterns, can also over-stimulate the nervous system when misused or practiced without proper regulation.

Ironically, the real key to unlocking the full potential of these intense methods lies not in the speed itself—but in one’s ability to relax into the storm they create.

The Nervous System Equation

To understand the imbalance, we must revisit the basic science of the autonomic nervous system. Breathing faster than normal activates the sympathetic response: the body's fight-or-flight mechanism. It’s not inherently harmful—used intentionally, it can energize, release tension, and even bring buried emotions to the surface.

But living predominantly in this heightened state, or repeatedly using breath to push intensity without cultivating the opposite—parasympathetic activation—leaves people depleted. It’s like revving a car engine constantly without checking the brakes.

As McKeown underscores in The Oxygen Advantage, the power of breath lies in its subtlety. Quiet, nasal, low, and slow breathing stimulates the vagus nerve, activating rest-and-digest physiology and lowering stress hormones. Similarly, Nestor, in Breath, documents how ancient cultures and modern science both affirm that the quieter the breath, the stronger the health.

Fast Breathing Without the Yin of Relaxation

Practices that lack a built-in mechanism to downshift the breath post-activation are akin to exercising without a cooldown. This is where many current breathwork trends fall short. Unless practitioners are trained to relax into the intensity—to soften their jaw, drop their shoulders, and release tension while breathing fast—the benefits are compromised, and in some cases, the practice can be harmful.

Dan Brulé often speaks of the breath’s ability to be both the storm and the anchor. But to navigate the storm effectively, one must train the anchor: the capacity to relax, to stay centered amid rising breath rates and emotional turbulence.

The Simplicity of “Nose, Low, Slow”

Incorporating a practice like “Nose, Low, Slow”—a term many contemporary breath coaches now use—brings back the missing piece. It emphasizes:

• Nose: Nasal breathing increases nitric oxide production, which boosts oxygen uptake and calms the nervous system.

• Low: Diaphragmatic breathing reduces tension and encourages vagal tone.

• Slow: Longer exhales relative to inhales promote parasympathetic dominance and emotional regulation.

  Even just a few minutes of "Nose, Low, Slow" breathing a day can shift one’s physiology dramatically. It prepares the body for deeper work, enhances recovery after intense sessions, and—perhaps most importantly—grounds breathwork in everyday moments: at the desk, during conflict, or before sleep.

It’s All About Balance

In my own experience and for most people I’ve guided, transformational breathwork is a brilliant and consistent tool when it’s paired with practices that support a calm, embodied awareness. When these two are integrated you’re able to relax into the growing intensity of your breathing session and go much deeper into yourself. True transformation lies not just in how deep or fast we can breathe, but in how consciously we can meet each breath with presence, grace, and ease.

Keep Breathing My Friends!