Breathwork vs Meditation: Can’t focus during meditation? Try breathwork
Key Takeaway Points
- Both breathwork & meditation help with focus and concentration, but they go about it in different ways.
- Breathwork uses its direct connection with the nervous system to trigger a calming response.
- Breathwork is great for a fast calming response, can be done anytime anywhere, and can be easier to learn.
- Meditation works by activating the parasympathetic nervous system.
- Meditation is useful to build our ability to concentrate and focus over time.
When it comes to finding focus and stillness, there are many paths that one can take. Breathwork and meditation are both practices that can help to improve focus and concentration. But which is better breathwork vs meditation? For some people, meditation can be difficult to maintain focus during. If you find yourself struggling to focus during meditation, breathwork may be a better option for you. Breathwork is a practice that involves controlled breathing, and it has been shown to be effective in reducing stress and anxiety.
On the other hand, meditation can help us to build our ability to focus in the long run, if you can hang in there. Meditation has been proven to help increase our capacity for focus, and also to help us manage stress. It isn’t always easy, but it can have big rewards in the end.
Both techniques help with focus and concentration, but they go about it in different ways. Breathwork helps us to focus by taking advantage of its direct connection to our autonomic nervous system, while meditation helps us to focus by building our brain’s ability to concentrate over time.
What is the difference between meditation and breathwork?
Breathwork is a powerful, direct way to hack the body’s nervous system. Breathwork can be easier to incorporate into your day than sitting still for a longer time meditating because many breathwork techniques can be practiced anytime or anywhere. It is also great for those days when we are feeling fatigued or mentally stressed, or those times when we just need a quick rescue technique to get through a stressful moment.
Meditation is a way of training the mind to focus, and it uses different techniques to achieve that goal. There is a vast array of ways to meditate, from sitting still with eyes closed to walking and chanting. Meditation can be done for longer periods than breathwork, and it can be done in groups or on your own.
One benefit of breathwork over meditation is that breathwork takes advantage of breathing’s direct connection to our autonomic nervous system. Often when we are extremely upset or stressed we can’t calm down our mind with meditation because our body has already gone into fight or flight mode. This is where breathwork has the advantage in providing stress relief when we are in crisis mode.
What is breathwork?
So, what is breathwork? Breathwork, also known as yoga breathing or pranayama, is simply learning techniques to control our breathing. Breathwork techniques modify the depth at which you breathe, how frequently you breathe, the rhythm of your breath, and your overall breathing patterns.
There are many different types of breathwork, but all involve paying attention to your breathing pattern and making adjustments as needed. For example, you might focus on deep belly breathing or count each inhale and exhale. The goal is to find a rhythm that works for you and helps you relax.
The benefits of breathwork
There are many benefits of breathwork. Some of the benefits are reducing stress, reducing anxiety, improving our focus, boosting digestion, improving sleep, and overall regulating our energy levels. The really cool thing about breathwork is that we can do this completely free anytime anywhere without the need for medications. It’s completely safe, easy to learn, and we can get reproducible predictable results every time.
Below are 10 of the most common benefits of starting a breathwork practice.
1. Breathwork for stress relief.
Breathwork is a great way to calm down, relieve stress and feel more relaxed. When you’re stressed, it’s common to hold your breath or breathe shallowly. When you breathe deeply and slowly, your body relaxes. It also brings more oxygen into your brain and helps calm down the nervous system.
2. Breathwork for sleep improvement
If you have trouble sleeping, breathwork can help you doze off. It s a great way to reduce stress and anxiety, which can make it easier to fall asleep. Breathing exercises help you fall asleep quickly and stay asleep longer.
3. Breathwork for Pain relief
Breathing deeply and slowly can help ease tension in your body and relieve pain. It also can help you relax enough to go to sleep, which is important if you have chronic pain.
4. Breathwork for Energy
This is probably my favorite! When you breathe well, you increase the efficiency of your breathing, you increase your blood oxygen, and you feel more energized!
5. Better posture and less back pain
Our breathing patterns are linked to our posture. When you breathe well, you will stand and move better. Breathing exercises can also improve the flexibility of your spine and help prevent neck and back pain.
6. Breathwork for mental focus.
Breathwork can help with thinking more clearly and making better decisions. Breathing exercises can help you think more clearly, make better decisions, and calm your emotions.
7. Breathwork for better athletic performance
Breathwork has been shown to improve breathing efficiency and blood oxygen levels. Breathing exercises can also improve endurance, strength and balance.
8. Breathwork for creativity
Our breathing patterns are linked to our creativity. When you are breathing well, you can think more clearly and come up with ideas.
9. Better quality of life
People who use breathing techniques generally feel better overall. It s a great way to reduce stress and anxiety so you can think more clearly, sleep better, and focus on the tasks at hand. All of these things add up to an overall better quality of life.