1. Breathwork and Emotional Freedom

Study: Uthaug et al., 2022 — “An experience with Holotropic Breathwork is associated with improvement in non-judgment, satisfaction with life, and reductions of stress-related symptoms.”

Participants who experienced one session of Holotropic Breathwork reported less stress, more life satisfaction, and greater emotional balance even weeks later.

They also became less self-critical and more accepting of themselves.

What this means: When you let your breath lead the way, you quiet the constant mental noise and make space for clearer thinking, gentler self-talk, and renewed confidence in your own choices.

2. Self-Awareness and Personal Growth

Study: Miller et al., 2015 — “Significance of Holotropic Breathwork in the Development of Self-Awareness.”

After four sessions, participants showed measurable improvements: they were more persistent, less hostile, and more at peace in relationships.

Experienced breathers reported deeper personality changes and self-awareness.

What this means: Every round of connected breathing rewires how you relate to yourself and others. You begin to trust your own timing, stand in your truth, and act from clarity rather than reaction.

3. Understanding the Physiology

Study: “High-Ventilation Breathwork Practices: An Overview of Their Mechanisms,” Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 2023

Researchers explain that fast, continuous breathing creates a short-term drop in carbon dioxide that alters brain blood flow and chemistry, helping to unlock suppressed emotions and produce powerful insights.

What this means: That wave of tingling, release, or tears during a session isn’t “too much” — it’s your body reorganizing itself. The breath stirs what’s been held inside so you can integrate it rather than carry it.

4. Breathwork, Mood, and the Brain

Study: “Decreased CO₂ Saturation During Circular Breathwork Supports Emergence of Altered States of Consciousness,” Nature Human Behaviour, 2025

This research showed that the deeper someone entered the breathing rhythm, the greater the improvements in mood and well-being afterward.

Brain activity confirmed that these states aren’t imaginary — they’re measurable.

What this means: The “altered” state you reach in breathwork is actually a heightened state of awareness where new ideas, memories, and creativity can surface. It’s the same state many people spend years of meditation trying to touch.

5. Conscious Connected Breathing for Body-Mind Healing

Study: Protocol for Conscious Connected Breathing with Breath Retention in Adults with Chronic Pain, 2023

Scientists are beginning to test how activating breath styles can influence pain perception, emotional processing, and resilience.

Early findings show that circular breathing strengthens the connection between physical and emotional health.

What this means: Breathwork isn’t just for stress. It’s a body-based way to build resilience, process emotion safely, and restore vitality.