What Is Breathwork? 3 Types of Breathwork That Can Change Your Life

You’ve probably noticed it—breathwork is suddenly everywhere. Friends are talking about it, therapists are recommending it, even your friends who are least into delf-development have heard of the Wim Hof Method thanks to Freeze the Fear with Wim Hof on BBC TV.

But is breathwork just another health trend? Breathwork is an ancient practice backed by modern science, and it has one clear intention: to help you change your inner world by changing the way you breathe. When you start to understand the different types of breathwork, you realise it's not a fad at all, but a powerful toolkit you can use to regulate your body, calm your mind, and transform how you feel day to day.

Why Breathwork, Why Now?

So many of us are living in survival mode:

• Shallow, fast, anxious breathing

• Long work days, constant notifications, busy city life

• Post-pandemic fatigue, burnout, and rising stress

Somewhere along the way, we forgot how to breathe in a way that supports us.

The beautiful thing is: we’re remembering.

We’re remembering that:

• Your breath directly shapes how you feel.

• You can calm your nervous system without a pill.

• You can access healing from the inside out, instead of relying only on external fixes.

And as more people discover the different types of breathwork, they’re realising that the way we breathe can be intentionally guided—not just to cope, but to transform. As James Nestore reminds us in his book “Breath”, when we change our breath, we create the possibility of changing our life.

So, What Is Breathwork?

Breathwork is the conscious use of your breath to shift your physical, mental, or emotional state.

There are many different types of breathwork, but they all start with the same simple idea: when you change your breathing, you change how you feel.

Your breath is part of your autonomic nervous system – the body’s automatic operating system that quietly runs things like your heart rate, digestion and blood pressure. Most of this happens without your control. But your breath is the one part you can influence, which is why it’s such a powerful doorway into your subconscious patterns and emotional state.

Your breath is the bridge.

By changing how you breathe, you can influence:

• Your stress levels

• Your energy

• Your focus

• Your emotional responses

• Your sense of safety in your body

Think of the breath as your internal accelerator and brake:

• It can slow you down into calm, rest, digest.

• It can power you up into focus, energy, and action.

Different kinds of breathwork help you do this in different ways, but the most empowering part is this: you can begin to shift your state in just a few breaths.

The 3 Main Types of Breathwork You Need to Know

Let’s make this simple. There are three broad ways you can use breathwork in your life.

1. Functional Breathwork

This is your everyday, 24/7 breathing pattern– and it’s one of the most important types of breathwork to get right.

We take around 23,000 breaths a day. If most of those are shallow, rushed, and through the mouth, your body is constantly operating in a stressed state.

Functional breathwork is about retraining your breath so your body can:

• Use oxygen efficiently

• Support cellular repair and immune function

• Improve gut health

• Maintain steady energy

The foundation of this breathwork type is:

• Nose breathing

• Belly (diaphragmatic) breathing

This is the base layer of your wellbeing. The reality is, when your functional breathing improves, not only every other type of breathwork you explore becomes more effective, but everything else in your life feels easier.

2. Daily Breathwork Practices

This is where you intentionally use the breath for a specific outcome. Think of this as one of the types of breathwork you can plug into your day like a self-care ritual.

It is your “breath routine” for your mind and body.

You might use:

• A 2–5 minute practice to reset between meetings

• A 10–20 minute practice to wind down before sleep

• A structured method like the Wim Hof Method for energy and mental resilience

• Yogic pranayama for focus, calm, or clarity

With daily breathwork, you are:

• Training your nervous system to respond differently to stress

• Building emotional and mental resilience

• Gradually reprogramming old patterns

Regular practice takes you beyond just coping. You start rewiring your unhealthy patterns, your emotional habits, and most importantly your inner state. Among all types of breathwork, this one is perfect for creating steady, sustainable change in your everyday life.

3. Transformational Breathwork

Transformational breathwork is the deeper, more activating kind of breathwork, and for any people it's the most life-changing of all types of breathwork.

It can include approaches like:

• Conscious Connected Breathwork

• Rebirthing Breathwork

• Shamanic Breathwork

• Holotropic Breathwork

• Trauma release–focused modalities like  BBTRS (Biodynamic Breath & Trauma Release System)

These sessions often last longer and may feel more intense.The intention is to:

• Release stored tension and trauma from the body

• Move blocked emotional energy

• Access expanded states of awareness or insight

• Create profound shifts in how you experience yourself and your life

People often describe transformational breathwork as:

• Life-changing

• Clarifying

• Deeply healing

It’s not about “fixing” you. It’s about helping you meet parts of yourself that you have been holding on, and finally let them go. Among the types of breathwork, this one invites deep healing, emotional release, and powerful inner transformation.

How Do You Get Started?

There is no one “right” way to begin. It depends on what you’re wanting right now and which breathwork type feels most supportive for you.

• If you want better sleep, less anxiety, and more calm → start with functional and daily breath practices.

• If you’re ready for deeper healing and emotional release → explore transformational breathwork with a trained facilitator.

My honest belief? Once you understand the different types of breathwork and start with one that feels most helpful right now, one experience will naturally lead you to the next step that’s right for you.

Choosing the Right Breathwork Facilitator

If you’re considering your first session, especially as you start exploring different kinds of breathwork, it's important to choose your practitioner thoughtfully.

Look for someone who:

• Is properly trained in breathwork and aware of how different styles affect the body and mind

• Knows how to hold safe emotional space, especially in deeper, more transformative sessions

• Is trauma-informed (especially if you’ve experienced trauma, anxiety, or panic)

Whether you're drawn to gentle nervous system regulation or more immersive healing experiences, you deserve to feel supported, seen, and safe.

Sydney Breathwork with Everyday Mindset

At Everyday Mindset, I use a variety of breathwork and hypnotherapy techniques and mind-body approaches to help you:

• Break old patterns

• Release stored stress and emotion

• Feel more at home in your body

• Experience more freedom in your mind, body, and spirit

  
  

You don’t need to “be good” at breathwork. You just need to be willing to show up and breathe. Together we can explore which styles or breathing practce feels most supportive for you right now.

If you’d like to:

• Explore individual sessions

• Experience group breathwork

• Or create a regular breathwork practice

  
  

You can reach out via social media IG @everydaymindset.au or email natalia@everydaymindset.com.au or book a free consultation and we can chat about what would support you best, or if you are ready, simply book your session here: Breathwork Sydney. 

Your breath is always with you.

Let’s use it to create the version of you that feels free, grounded, and fully alive.