Functional Breathing
By: Mindy Eisenberg, MHSA, C-IAYT, ERYT-500 with Bettyanne Hodges, Director of Marketing, YMMS
Breath is life. While it may sound like an obvious statement, the impact of functional breathwork on our overall well-being cannot be overstated. Whether you’re managing a neuromuscular condition like Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s Disease (PD) or simply seeking to enhance your physical and mental health, breathwork offers a pathway to healing and balance.
What is Functional Breathwork?
Functional breathwork refers to breathing practices that are specifically designed to optimize respiratory function. Unlike passive breathing, which we do unconsciously, functional breathwork is intentional. It integrates controlled, mindful breathing techniques that positively influence the nervous system, improve oxygen delivery, and enhance physical performance.
Breath is a tool for creating balance between the mind and body. For individuals with chronic conditions, functional breathwork can be transformative. These practices are more than just breathing exercises—they are a way to regulate the nervous system, manage stress, and create a deeper mind-body connection.
Functional breathwork focuses on:
Breath Awareness: Encouraging students to bring mindful attention to their breath.
Breath Control: Teaching techniques to control the length, depth, and rhythm of each breath.
Integration with Movement: Coordinating breath with gentle, adaptive yoga postures to enhance mobility and reduce tension.
The benefits of functional breathwork go beyond the immediate experience of relaxation, they include:
1. Stress Reduction and Mental Clarity: Stress often triggers physical and emotional discomfort, but functional breathwork activates the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing cortisol and promoting relaxation. Techniques like pranayama calm the mind, ease anxiety, and improve mental clarity. At Yoga Moves Any Body, we teach students to see their breath as a tool for emotional resilience, helping them stay focused and centered.
2. Improved Lung Function and Oxygenation: For those with neuromuscular conditions, maintaining lung function is vital. Breathwork strengthens respiratory muscles, improving lung capacity, oxygen delivery, and toxin release. In our adaptive classes, breath awareness is combined with movement to promote efficient breathing, even during challenging tasks.
3. Pain Management: Research shows that functional breathwork, especially deep diaphragmatic breathing, can trigger the release of endorphins, the body’s natural pain relievers. In adaptive yoga, slow, controlled breathing combined with gentle movements helps reduce muscle tension and manage pain, improving overall quality of life.
4. Enhanced Mobility and Coordination: One of the lesser-known benefits of breathwork is its ability to support physical mobility. Incorporating breathwork into adaptive yoga helps improve balance, coordination, and body awareness. When movement is synchronized with breath, the body flows more naturally, reducing strain on the muscles and joints.
5. Emotional Resilience and Self-Awareness: By breathing mindfully, students learn to navigate difficult emotions with greater ease and patience, using the breath as a source of self-compassion and emotional resilience. Functional breathwork encourages a deep sense of self-awareness. As students observe their breath, they also become more attuned to the sensations in their bodies and the emotions that arise, fostering a holistic sense of well-being.
Here are a few functional breathwork techniques that you can incorporate into your daily routine:
Diaphragmatic Breathing: Also known as belly breathing or a complete three part breath, this technique involves deep breathing from the diaphragm rather than shallow breaths from the chest. Place one hand on your abdomen and the other on your chest. Inhale deeply through your nose, allowing your belly to rise, and then exhale slowly, feeling your belly fall. This promotes relaxation and oxygen exchange.
Box Breathing: This technique involves inhaling for a count of four, holding the breath for four counts, exhaling for four, and holding again for four counts before repeating. Box breathing helps calm the nervous system and sharpen focus.
Coordinated Breath with Movement: In seated or reclining positions, gently raise your arms as you inhale and lower them as you exhale. This integrates breath with movement and helps improve mobility.
The breath is a lifeline. Functional breathwork is not just a practice for yoga sessions but a tool we can carry with us throughout our day. Breath is the foundation of healing. It grounds us in the present moment, nourishes our bodies, and provides a pathway to greater physical and emotional balance. Through the simple act of mindful breathing, we can move towards greater health and well-being—one breath at a time.
