Controlled Breathing: A 1,000-word Intro to This Mindfulness Superpower

There are far too many treatment options for someone with a mental illness. Should I see my PCP? Do I need a psychiatrist? What about meds? Does meditation work? What’s the deal with adaptogens? Is controlled breathing worth a try? And the worst part is that instituting any of these treatment methods takes time—you can’t just switch medications and expect it to work right away. The same goes for when you change doctors.

Here’s an overview of my journey to mental wellness:

1. In 8th grade, I went to my pediatrician right after the onset of my OCD (I didn’t know it was OCD at the time). He prescribed me something for anxiety. I saw him throughout 8th and 9th grade.

2. Throughout the rest of high school, I went dark. I hid my struggles and relied on sports as medicine.

3. Between 2012 and 2018, I saw another six or so psychiatrists and even more psychologists.

4. In 2018, someone introduced me to the OCD Institute (OCDI) in Boston. I applied, went through the intake process, and got in.

5. Before going to the OCDI, I found Dr. Wadsworth and started seeing her right away.

6. She referred me to Dr. Tredwell, who began prescribing my meds.

And that’s where I am today.

While I found a combination of therapy and medication that worked, I often wonder if I neglected less-talked-about options. Specifically, alternative medicine, like controlled breathing, which I was introduced to by a friend from home, Chloe Handelman, who now lives in Bali, Indonesia.

What’s Controlled Breathing?

Controlled breathing goes by many names. There’s conscious breathing, pranayama, deep breathing, and belly breathing. Whatever you call it, the premise is the same: You take a breath, exhale, and repeat. Sounds simple, right? But it can be life-changing. I asked Chole, a hometown friend who now lives in Bali, Indonesia, about her take on controlled breathing, here’s what she said:

“For the first part of my life, my emotions and stress controlled me. When I first was led through controlled breathing, I realized I had it all wrong. Controlled breathing was my gateway to feel safe in my body and mind and introduced me into ways to shift my state in real time.”

What Are the Benefits of Controlled Breathing?

Why’s controlled breathing something someone struggling with mental health should consider? Well, science. 

While the definition of this type of breathwork is relatively simple, the science behind it is anything but that. Studies have found, for example, that breathing practices (like controlled breathing) can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. Said another way, consciously changing the way you breathe sends a signal to your brain that tells it to switch from a stressed state into a calm state.

Another study found that after 12 weeks of daily yoga and coherent breathing, the subjects’ depressive symptoms decreased. Their levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid, a brain chemical that has calming and anti-anxiety effects, increased.

By intervening with deep breaths, you cut off stressful breathing and return to normal breathing, allowing the autonomic nervous system to rebalance the body.

Chloe went on to say:

“Learning to breathe has changed my life. I now have a real-time tool that I can use anywhere, anytime, no matter what situation I face. Before, I felt helpless, out of control, and scared. I never felt comfortable sitting with the “bad” things I was feeling. Now, I feel empowered and confident in my ability to overcome any internal state… plus… I now have access to the information that arises from those states because I can calm myself enough to listen deeply.”

Controlled breathing is more powerful than most people think.

My First Experience

I’ve always known controlled breathing and other meditative practices were missing from my mental-wellness plan. I’ve tried them before, but the lack of instant results usually deterred me. When I’m in so much pain, it’s hard to convince myself that doing something—like controlled breathing—for weeks before seeing any noticeable results was a hurdle I couldn’t get over.

Until recently, when I scheduled a call with Chloe, who’d just made her way back to Bali, Indonesia.

It was an hour-long session (actually, more of a conversation). We talked about where I was at mentally, what I hoped to get out of our time together, and how breathwork can help.

After the Zoom call ended, Chloe sent me an overview of what we worked on, and I thought I’d share it with all of you. While this certainly won’t be for everyone, there’s absolutely NO doubt in my mind that controlled breathing, breathwork—whatever you want to call it—brings you into a state of relaxation.

Breath Watching: Use the following points of observation to ground back into the present moment and bring your awareness from your mind to your breath.

• What’s the texture of my breath? Is it smooth? Is it choppy?

• What’s the speed of my breath?

• What’s the temperature of my breath?

• What sound is my breath making?

• Where does my inhale start, and where does it end?

• What are other parts of my body moving?

Exhales Through Straw (No Straw Required)

Breathing at a inhale: exhale ratio of 1:2 (e.g., 4 counts in and 8 counts out) inhale through your nose and out your mouth through pursed lips. Repeat 10x and then check in with your brain. Continue as needed.

Diaphragmatic Training

Laying on your belly on a bed or floor, begin to expand your breathing down to your belly. Slowly increase the depth of your breathing. After a few rounds, breathe in your belly + ribs. After a few rounds, breathe in your belly + ribs + and chest. Continue to increase your expansion front to back and side to side. If you wish to breathe to a count for this breath, I suggest 6-7 seconds in and 6-7 seconds out. Find your sweet spot that feels good to you. Continue for as long as you like (5-10 minutes will be very supportive for deep relaxation).

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Meet Chloe

Chloe is an NLP Mindset and Empowerment Coach, helping entrepreneurs and leaders navigate their subconscious minds and emotions so they can create authentic success and unlock their infinite potential in their life and work. She’s obsessed with helping her clients build radical self-trust and confidence, leading to more alignment, balance, and authentic expression.

Chloe believes in teaching her clients to use internal resources and tools, so they are empowered to maintain their own mental and emotional balance. Chloe is also a breath coach and EFT practitioner who uses breath and tapping to support her clients in cultivating more presence and balancing their nervous system so they can enjoy and succeed in the life they are creating for themselves.