If you’re a trauma survivor, you may have tried breathwork to release trauma. But, what if you don’t like exercises that are complicated, ask you to hold your breath, and want practices you can do anywhere?
This blog post gives you three trauma-informed breathwork practices you can do anywhere, anytime you wish to return to yourself, your body, and all without triggering techniques.
How Trauma Affects Your Body and Breath
After trauma, your nervous system may become dysregulated and if this tension and stress are not released, you can develop chronic pain, stress, and tension in your body. You may also have shallow, short breaths. This is your sympathetic nervous system keeping you alert, but staying in this aroused state for too long can soon lead to exhaustion.
Yoga has long understood the connection between your body and breath. Have you ever taken a deep, slow breath and felt more calm? This is your breath at work, activating your parasympathetic nervous system and communicating to your body that you’re in a safe enough location to complete the stress response and release trauma.
My Nervous System Guide gives deeper insights to your nervous system after trauma and how to find gentle balance.
What is Breathwork?
Breathwork, or pranayama, is a way you use your breath to harness the energy you wish to cultivate. A simple example of this would be to use long, slow breaths to calm your body, and quick sharp breaths to increase energy.
There are other ways to control prana in your body, like working with chakras, but for this post we’ll explore breathwork.
What is Trauma-Informed Breathwork?
Many yoga practices include holding or constricting your breath. For many trauma survivors, this can be triggering instead of supportive. It’s important to explore breathwork strategies that bring you into a relaxed state. This can look different for everyone, so it’s best to go with your own experiences and preferences.
Another way to support trauma healing with breathing exercises is with a trauma-informed approach. This means that commonly triggering techniques are avoided or modified so you can spend less time adjusting practices on your own and focus on more supportive exercises.
I invite you to learn more about Trauma-Informed Yoga’s Approach to learn how it’s different from other practices and supports trauma survivors.
5 Key Benefits of Breathwork for Trauma Survivors
I welcome you to explore 5 key benefits of breathwork to see if this is a good fit for you and your practice.
- Less stress. This source from the National Library of Medicine explored how diaphragmatic breathing, or deep breathing, resulted in improved mental health, including participants experiencing less stress, anxiety, and depression.
- Improved self esteem. This pilot study explored how breathwork improved self esteem in adolescents.
- Supportive for people with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety. This study explored how controlled breathing decreased PTSD symptoms in veterans returning from war overseas.
- Releases tension. Certain breathwork, like diaphragmatic breath, also supports tension release of other areas of your body, like your pelvic floor. Many sexual trauma survivors have pelvic floor tension, and this is a gentle approach to finding softness.
- Reconnects your mind and body. When exploring breathwork, you bring your attention inward. This is known as interoception, and is your ability to sense your internal body sensations. Rebuilding this is beneficial for healing because you’ll be able to understand certain signals. Maybe you clench your jaw when you’re stressed or angry, and so you know to explore and release your irritability before it becomes rage.
Breathwork To Release Trauma: 3 Trauma-Informed Practices
I welcome you to take your time with these practices and only do the ones that feel right for you. The most important part of these exercises is for you to be comfortable. You’re welcome to skip anything that doesn’t support you or your healing.
You can adjust these practices to better suit your preferences and end your practice at any time.
1. Cleansing Breath
Effects:
- Settling
- Calming
When to Practice:
- Anytime you wish to reacquaint with your breath
- Beginning of a yoga practice
- If you don’t have time for longer breath work exercises
- Anytime you notice tension or stress in your daily routine
Steps:
- Begin in a comfortable posture of your choice
- If seated, I invite you to find a long, natural spine.
- With your eyes open or closed, I welcome you to inhale slowly through your nostrils. Take as much time as you need.
- It may help to imagine breathing into your upper body (lungs, throat, chest)
- You may also send the breath anywhere you choose.
- In your own time, you may begin to exhale slowly through your mouth.
- You can sigh, be as audible or silent as you choose.
- You are welcome to exhale any tension in your body.
- Repeat steps 2 and 3 as many times as you choose.
2. Awareness Breath (Apa Japa)
Effects:
- Grounding
- Brings attention inward
When to Practice:
- Anytime you wish to reacquaint with your breath
- Beginning of a yoga practice
- During yoga postures
- When you wish to turn your focus inward
Steps:
- Begin in a comfortable posture of your choice
- If seated, I invite you to find a long, natural spine.
- With your eyes open or closed, I invite you to place your focus on your breath. There is no need to change anything. Continue to breathe in any way that suits you.
- When you are ready, I welcome you to ask yourself any or all of these questions:
- How long are my inhales and exhales?
- Is my breath smooth or shaky?
- Where is my breath traveling in my body?
- Is my breath humid or dry?
- How is my breath affecting my body? (Posture, movement, energy)
- Are there pauses between each breath?
- You may remain in this practice for as long as you choose.
It’s natural for your breath to change during this process. You don’t need to breathe in any special way other than how you are in this moment.
3. Full Complete Breath (Also Known As Diaphragmatic Breath)
Effects:
- Calming
- Brings attention inward
When to Practice:
- Anytime you wish to reacquaint with your breath
- Beginning of a yoga practice
- Lying on your back (if you are comfortable)
- When you wish to turn your focus inward
Steps:
- Begin in a comfortable posture of your choice
- If seated, I invite you to find a long, natural spine.
- Option: Place one hand on your heart and the other on your belly.
- With your eyes open or closed, I invite you to inhale through your nose or mouth. Breathe into your belly, ribs and lungs, expanding like a balloon.
- When you choose to exhale, allow your breath to release naturally through your nose or mouth. Allow any tension to fade with the breath. You have an option to contract your abdomen to release more air.
- Repeat steps 2 and 3 for as long as you choose.
Breathwork Tips
I invite you to practices these a few times to understand the exercise before trying to do these in public. When it comes more naturally to you, it’ll be easier to settle into – especially if you’re facing a stressful moment.
You’re also welcome to combine these in way way you like. Maybe you ask yourself the questions in Apa Japa while doing a complete breath or cleansing breath. It’s all your practice, and there is no wrong way to feel right in your body.
You may wish to add diaphragmatic breathing to your practice (breathing into your belly). This further promotes relaxation, so you receive more benefits in the same amount of time.
I invite you to add breathwork before or after your trauma-informed yoga practice. You’ll settle into your body and have a deeper, more relaxing experience.
Adding Breathwork to Trauma-Informed Yoga Practices
Breathwork is a simple way to create powerful change in your nervous system. I welcome you to take your time and send yourself kindness as you incorporate these practices into your routine.
If you’d like to explore trauma-informed yoga classes to support your mind and body after trauma, I welcome you to explore my free, private library, the Cozy Corner. Classes tend to sexual trauma survivors and include instruction for using your breath to create more softness, release, and support in your body. If this sounds like a supportive offering to you, I welcome you to learn more below.
