What Is the Connection Between Meditation and Breathwork?

Many people incorporate mindfulness-based practices into their addiction recovery routines. Holistic practices such as yoga, gratitude journaling, and regular acupuncture treatments help ground individuals to, ultimately, improve their mental, physical, and spiritual well-being in tandem. Additionally, of all the practices you can try, meditation and breathwork are exceedingly common. Still, the question is whether or not they can really be effective in your addiction recovery journey. 

Today, we're diving into meditation and breathwork, how they're connected, how they're beneficial, and how they can aid in your recovery. For more information, contact West Coast Recovery Centers. Furthermore, we encourage you to visit our website to learn more about our facility and our dedication to offering traditional and holistic modalities to meet your rehabilitation needs today. 

What Is Meditation and How Can You Start Meditating Today?

Although there are various types of meditation, these practices all share one goal – to clear and focus one's mind. Individuals do this through different physical and mental techniques. For many, meditation is effective in reducing anxiety and stress and forming new healthy habits. While meditation seems to be a growing popular phenomenon, people of all backgrounds have been doing it for thousands of years. 

A common way people meditate nowadays is through yoga, which is a physical form of meditation. Other people participate in walking meditation, as spending time outdoors and connecting with the earth provides them with mental clarity. In truth, the best way to meditate is one that works well for you. Some meditation practices you may consider experimenting with today include: 

• Spiritual meditation: This may incorporate prayer depending on your religion 
• Transcendental meditation: This usually involves mantra repetition 
• Progressive muscle relaxation: This works to achieve physical and mental calm
• Focused or concentration meditation: This focuses on staying present and quieting the mind 
• Body scanning: A process that includes observing the sensations from your head to your toes 

In many cases, these meditation practices can be even more effective when combined with breathwork. 

What Is Breathwork?

Breathwork simply refers to breathing exercises or techniques. These breathing techniques are designed to increase awareness and improve relaxation. Breathwork, in itself, is another type of meditation practice. 

One breathwork technique that has become more popular is the Wim Hof Breathing Method. The method is based on the idea that the amount of oxygen we inhale influences energies released into the body's cells. Since breathing has a molecular influence on the body, this breathing method can help it maintain optimal conditions. 

If you'd like to experiment with the Wim Hof breathing method, here's how to start: 

• First, find a comfortable position that allows you to expand your lungs fully. 
• Next, you'll take deep breaths, in through the nose or mouth and unforcefully exhale through the mouth about 30 to 40 times.
• After completing your last exhale, deeply inhale once more, let the air out, and stop breathing unit you feel the urge to breathe.
• When you feel that urge to breathe again, take one big breath to fill your lungs and hold at capacity for 15 seconds before letting go (you should feel your belly and stomach expand as you take this final breath).
• Lastly, repeat the cycle about three or four times.

Of course, you can try several other breathwork techniques, but the real question is how they'll help you in connection with meditation. 

Benefits of Meditation and Breathwork

We've already given a hint if you're wondering what the connection between meditation and breathwork is. Breathwork is a meditative practice, and as such, it falls under the meditation umbrella. So, it makes sense that incorporating breathwork into another meditative practice could be stronger and more effective in aiding recovery. 

Some of the benefits of meditation and breathwork include: 

• Improving mood 
• Aiding in relaxation
• Reducing stress 
• Promoting quality sleep 
• Increasing self-awareness
• Improving memory, focus, and concentration  
• Managing complex emotions related to trauma 
• Improving symptoms of a physical or mental health condition 
• Strengthening the mind-body-spirit connection 
• Regulating your breathing and increasing your overall energy 

What's important to highlight is that these benefits can be a game changer for anyone looking to improve their health. However, they're also invaluable to individuals in recovery. 

Consider Incorporating Mediation and Breathwork Into Your Recovery Routine

Meditation and breathwork won't completely solve problems related to mental illness or substance use disorder (SUD). However, they can significantly augment your recovery experience. For some, incorporating these holistic and mindfulness-based practices into their daily routine can completely change their recovery trajectory. These same changes could happen to you.  

If you're looking for a radical change in your life, consider meditation and breathwork. Doing so can enhance your sobriety and improve your physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Call West Coast Recovery Centers to learn more and start changing your life today.   

Every person on this planet has the power to radically change their lives for the better. However, to access this power, individuals must equip themselves with the right tools and resources. Two tools that can help you are meditation and breathwork. There are several meditation practices, including breathwork, that can help you improve your cognitive function, reduce stress, ease symptoms of physical conditions, and improve your mental well-being. Meditation and breathwork can also help those recovering from a substance use disorder (SUD) achieve and maintain a sustainable life of sobriety. Consider taking the first step toward changing your life by calling West Coast Recovery Centers at (760) 492-6509 and visiting our website today.