Where to Start with Breathwork: A Complete Beginner’s Guide

Breathwork is one of the simplest yet most powerful tools you can use to improve your health, wellbeing, and emotional resilience. But if you’re new to it, you might be asking: Where do I start? How do I practice correctly? This guide will give you a clear, structured path to begin your breathwork journey.

By the end, you’ll understand the basics, know a few practical exercises, and feel confident about incorporating breathwork into your daily life.

Step 1: Understand Why Breathwork Matters

Breathing isn’t just automatic; it’s a window into your nervous system. Many people breathe in ways that are suboptimal, shallow, fast, chest-only, or through the mouth. Poor breathing patterns can contribute to stress, anxiety, low energy, poor sleep, and even affect cardiovascular and respiratory health.

Why conscious breathwork helps:

  • Activates the parasympathetic nervous system for calm and relaxation

  • Improves oxygen delivery to every cell in your body

  • Reduces stress hormones and promotes emotional balance

  • Supports mental clarity, focus, and resilience

  • Can improve sleep quality and energy levels

Understanding the why helps you stay motivated. When you realise your breath directly influences your mood, energy, and overall health, it becomes easier to commit to a regular practice.

Step 2: Start With Simple Breath Awareness

Before diving into techniques, simply notice how you breathe.

Try this simple exercise:

  1. Sit comfortably with your feet on the floor.

  2. Place one hand on your chest, one on your belly.

  3. Take a slow breath in through your nose, and out through your nose.

  4. Notice where your breath naturally moves, chest, belly, or both.

  5. Observe the speed, depth, and rhythm without changing anything.

This step alone can be enlightening. Awareness is the first stage of transformation. From here, you’ll notice subtle changes as you begin experimenting with techniques.

Step 3: Explore Different Breathwork Techniques

Once you’re aware of your breath, you can start exploring techniques. Here are some beginner-friendly options:

1. Diaphragmatic Breathing (Low Breathing)

  • Focus on filling your belly first, expanding 360° around the midsection

  • Gentle lateral expansion to fully engage your diaphragm

  • Benefits: reduces tension, calms the nervous system, supports digestion and circulation

2. Nasal Breathing

  • Inhale and exhale through your nose

  • Improves oxygen uptake and nitric oxide production

  • Supports posture and airway function

3. Slow, Coherent Breathing

  • Aim for 6–10 breaths per minute

  • Synchronises heart and breath for optimal relaxation

  • Benefits: reduces stress, enhances focus, and promotes emotional stability

4. Light Breathing / Reduced Volume

  • Reduce the depth and intensity of your breath while maintaining rhythm

  • Benefits: improves CO2 tolerance, oxygen delivery, and efficient breathing patterns

At this stage, experiment gently. Notice what feels good, and keep a short journal of how each technique affects your energy, mood, and focus.

Step 4: Build a Simple Routine

Consistency is key. Start with short daily practices:

  • 5 minutes of diaphragmatic breathing in the morning

  • 2–3 minutes of slow, coherent breathing before bed

  • 1–2 minutes of nasal-focused breathing when exercising even walking!

Set realistic goals and integrate breathing into moments you already have, while making tea, walking, or sitting in a quiet space, or even at your desk. Even small, regular practices create measurable improvements over time.

Step 5: Know When to Seek Guidance

If you want to explore breathwork for emotional connection, nervous system balance, or a deeper release ( called conscious connected breathing), professional guidance is highly recommended.

Why guidance matters:

  • Ensures techniques are safe and effective

  • Helps you access deeper emotional and nervous system benefits

  • Prevents common mistakes that could increase tension or discomfort

  • Provides personalised feedback for your body and breath pattern

At Breathgal, I offer one-to-one sessions and online workshops that guide you safely through either healthy breathing or conscious connected breathing, so if your are not based in West Sussex, you can join me online from anywhere!

Step 6: Track Your Progress

Notice changes in your body, mind, and emotions:

  • Do you feel calmer after practice?

  • Is your energy more balanced throughout the day?

  • Are you sleeping better, or thinking more clearly?

Small improvements compound. Tracking helps you stay motivated and reinforces that breathwork isn’t just a temporary exercise, it’s a lifelong tool for wellbeing.

Quick Start Exercises for Beginners

Exercise 1: 360° Belly Breath

  • Place hands around your belly

  • Inhale slowly through your nose, feeling your belly expand fully

  • Exhale gently through your nose

  • Repeat for 5 minutes

Exercise 2: Nose Awareness Practice

  • Close your mouth and breathe naturally through your nose

  • Notice how the air feels entering and leaving your nostrils

  • Switch nostrils if desired to explore calm vs energy

Exercise 3: Coherent Breathing

  • Inhale for 5 counts, exhale for 5 counts

  • Continue for 5–10 minutes

  • Feel the nervous system settle and heart rate synchronise

Ready to start your breathwork journey?
Join my online healthy breathing or online conscious connected breathing workshops or book a one-to-one session with me in Steyning, West Sussex, (near Brighton & Hove) and discover the power of your breath.

Mel

PS Change your breath, Change your life!

Mel Lacy-Fewtrellbreathgal