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The Independent
20 hours ago
- Health
- The Independent
Breathwork expert Jamie Clements says we're not ‘breathing wrong' but we could all be ‘breathing better'
As a breathwork coach, Jamie Clements founder of The Breath Space often hears a familiar line: 'I can't be breathing wrong because I'm alive.' And while technically true, he says it misses the point. 'Yes, we're all breathing in a way that keeps us alive,' he tells me. 'But doing it a little bit better would do us some good.' After just five minutes of guided breathwork with Clements, I get it. That tight feeling I've been carrying in my chest all day softens, my thoughts are locked in on the breaths I'm taking and I can visualise, strangely, shades of purple behind my closed eyes. When I open them, something has shifted. It's subtle, but I can feel it. That shift, he says, is exactly what breathwork is meant to offer. It's a conscious recalibration of something we do all day without thinking. But as the practice gains traction in the wellness world, and TikTok algorithms churn out breathing 'hacks' by the hour, many struggle to understand how this practice fits in with our day-to-day lives. The principles of breathwork ''The breath' is really this catch-all umbrella term that over the last five to 10 years, particularly in the UK and Western society, has come to encapsulate any way that we can use our breath to shift our state and work with how we think, feel and operate on a physical level, mental level, emotional level and spiritual level,' Clements tells me. To cut through the noise, he's developed a framework that helps people understand the practice without feeling overwhelmed. 'I teach breathwork in three pillars,' he says. This approach is accessible – the idea is that we can all start somewhere. The first, and most foundational pillar, is what Clements calls functional breathing. 'How we breathe moment to moment, unconsciously, throughout the day. Can we improve, not perfect, our default patterns to support better health?' he asks. 'It's less about mastering a technique and more about unlearning habits that might be quietly taxing our systems, like mouth breathing or shallow chest breathing.' The second pillar is what many people think of when they hear the word 'breathwork' – nervous system regulation via intentional exercises with the breath. This includes everything from box breathing to alternate nostril breathing, deliberate patterns that shift how we feel. 'This is what I believe most people think of when they hear 'breathwork', which is breathing techniques for a specific outcome. So changing the speed, depth, rhythm and ratio of the breath in a certain way with a desired outcome in mind,' says Clements. 'You can use the breath like an accelerator or a brake. Speed it up to boost focus and energy. Slow it down to calm the nervous system. It's breathing with intent.' The third pillar is where breathwork becomes transformational. This is where Clements says we can access altered states of consciousness, process trauma and explore emotional healing. It's powerful terrain, and not without risk. 'This part of the work can bring up a lot. It requires care. It's not something to dabble in lightly,' he says. 'But it's also where the biggest shifts can happen.' The benefit of the breath He speaks from experience. The practice of breathwork didn't come to him as a hobby or curiosity. It came as a lifeline. 'I found breathwork at a time when I was really struggling with depression, anxiety and panic attacks. It wasn't overnight, but over time, my life changed. And it's still changing. That's the thing with this work, it evolves as you do,' he tells me. He recalls his first breathwork class, seven years ago. 'That class changed everything. My teacher is someone that I have always looked up to since getting into this space and I'm fortunate that now we're colleagues. It feels full circle.' While breathwork helped Clements improve his own life and set him on a path to help others make sense of theirs, he's wary of the idea that there's a 'right' way to breathe, or that we're all doing it wrong. 'It's a slightly ugly comparison, but I always compare it to posture. My posture's not perfect. Your posture's not perfect. I don't know anybody with perfect posture and I probably don't know anybody with 'perfect breathing'. That being said, if I improved my posture by five or 10 per cent, if I improved my breathing by five or 10 per cent, I would feel better. The main thing to say is don't beat yourself up over this idea of doing it wrong, but do pay more attention to it and understand how you can do it better.' You might have heard a guest on a biohacking podcast make bold claims about how 90 per cent of people are breathing sub-optimally, a figure Clements considers exaggerated. 'Now, we can look at that through a certain lens, but I do think what even those high extremes suggest is that we could all be doing it a little bit better and it would do us some good. Even if you improve your breath by 5 or 10 per cent, you'll feel better. It's not about doing it right, it's about doing it better,' he says. This gentle, non-dogmatic approach is part of what makes Clements a compelling guide in a wellness world that can often feel rigid and perfectionistic. He's particularly critical of performance optimisation that often leads to overwhelm and the idea that there's a 'right way' to be well. 'I saw a stat in the Lululemon wellbeing report that said 45 per cent of people report wellness burnout,' he notes. 'People are exhausted from striving to be well.' 'I've been banging this drum for a good six months to a year now – this obsession with wellness is stressing people out and actually all the biohacks in the world aren't going to overcome the stress of striving for perfection with your wellness.' That exhaustion, he argues, is partly the result of what he calls 'information overload'. In the world of health and wellness, we seem to be inundated with data, protocols and biohacks but ultimately starved of embodiment and true connection, making it hard to process all the information we're served. 'I think post covid we've done a great job of awareness gathering and information gathering. But I see so many people kind of paralysed in that space and going, 'what do I do with all of this information?' I think what we're gonna see come next is this huge shift towards living the insights, living the understanding rather than, you know, comparing our wearable data.' says Clements. 'A lot of people are also going, 'how do I fix me? I am broken.' And actually a huge amount of it is actually just cutting yourself some slack and going, it's okay to want to move forward and grow, but not at the cost of hating yourself in the process.' Finding a way in While breathwork is inherently accessible, its origins are somewhat mystic and esoteric which sees many label what is actually a functional health tool as 'woo'. 'The deeper practices can become ceremonial or overly spiritual – white robes and wide-brim hats – which can alienate people,' says Clements. 'That's fine if it works for you, but it shouldn't be the only way in. The more transformational end of the spectrum can feel out of reach but I want the powerful end of this work to be for everyone.' 'I actually wrote a piece called 'breathwork is broken' about how the commodification of breathwork is both inevitable and problematic. You don't need fancy tools or a big budget to do breathwork but we are in a growing pains phase. 'It's the classic cycle of Western wellness: we get excited, over-commercialise it, then realise we need to course correct,' he says. 'Breathwork is at that turning point. We need stronger ethical standards, better training and more integrity.' If you're breathwork-curious, Clements recommends starting simply. 'The first two pillars, functional breathing and nervous system regulation, are safe to explore on your own. Slowing your breath, trying short patterns like box breathing, that's low-risk and high-reward.' For deeper emotional work, however, he urges caution. 'That's where you want to be discerning. Treat it like finding a therapist. Don't just follow a big-name Instagram account. I think one of the big dangers of modern social media and wellness is that we think that just because someone's got a lot of followers means they're good at what they do.' Instead, ask where someone trained, look for word-of-mouth recommendations, and trust your gut. 'Some people you'll feel safe with. Others you won't. That's okay.' As for his own wellbeing practice, Clements practises breathwork every day. 'I try to start each day with stillness and silence. So that could be just a simple unguided meditation for 10 to 30 minutes, just in silence. It might be more centred around the breath, it might be a guided meditation. I like to start from a slow pace to set the tone for the day. So that's that's a big thing for me and that's pretty close to being a non-negotiable.' He also trains in the gym, does Brazilian jiu-jitsu three or four times a week and occasionally opts for the saunas and cold water therapy that so many athletes and influencers in the wellness space rely on for focus, healing and recovery. 'But I'm not strict,' he says. 'I try to give my nervous system space to ebb and flow.' 'Tools like Whoop and Oura – they're a great tool, but a terrible master. If you've never been in touch with your body, they can help. But eventually, you have to learn to listen to yourself. We're all different. So I think if they work for people, then then great as long as they're not being led by them.' Ultimately, Clements hopes people come to see breathwork not as a quick fix or a trend, but as a tool for deeper connection. 'The nature of the practice is that it is innately accessible,' he says. 'I think that in part is why everyone's talking about it or everyone seems to be talking more about it. It's so accessible, but at the same time it can go to such depths that there's a lot of different things that we can do within this world of breath. 'I think that's the beautiful thing with this work. My goal with everybody that I speak to and work with is to make this an integrated better part of their life that stays with them. It's not a practice to be done, it's actually just a way of living that stays with you, that actually opens you up to a broader experience of life. '
The Independent
14-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Expert recommends doing these four breathing exercises every day to reduce stress and anxiety
Breathing comes naturally to us all and, unless you struggle with a condition that affects your ability to breathe easily, it's probably not something that you spend that much time thinking about. However, if you've ever done any kind of exercise, felt your anxiety levels rise or put your body through any kind of heightened stress, you'll no doubt have noticed your breathing change. When stressed, we tend to take more shallow breaths from our upper chest and breathe more quickly. Anyone who suffers from anxiety might recognise the feeling of being caught in a loop, as worried feelings give way to rapid breathing, you may begin to feel more anxious as the feeling of control starts to slip away. When you breathe in a quick shallow pattern – which we often do when we're anxious – the brain receives limited oxygen, so you might feel lightheaded or overwhelmed. If you're not able to calm yourself and slow your breathing, you might start to feel sick or even lose consciousness. This is why breath is so central to mental health and wellbeing and why so many people are choosing to practice what's known as breathwork – simple breathing exercises that can help limit and control stress. What are the benefits of breathing exercises? Breathwork expert and founder of The Breath Space, a destination for breathing tips, tools, coaching and classes, Jamie Clements, explains that 'practising breathwork daily can have a whole host of benefits to our overall health and wellbeing and research has now shown the benefits of breathwork across physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health.' 'The most well-documented,' explains Clements, 'is the positive impact a daily breathwork practice can have on stress and anxiety, as the breath supports us in shifting the nervous system into a more regulated and balanced place.' Science journalist James Nestor explains in his book, Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art (£9.93, that several studies have explored and proven the link between breathing exercises and mental health. Research from the early aughts looked into the instantaneous and long-term calming effects of breathing exercises like chanting a mantra and coherent breathing – a style of breathing which returns significant processes in the body to the optimal range and a state of 'coherence'. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, struggling with the symptoms of stress, unable to focus during the day, or feeling anxious, breathwork could help you find a sense of calm by recalibrating your nervous system, enabling you to tap into a calmer state whenever you need to. Clements suggests doing just four simple daily exercises for controlling stress and reducing anxiety. The beauty of these exercises is that you can do them anywhere and you don't need anything but your breath. 'The key here is consistency,' says Clements, 'with research suggesting that 10-12 minutes per day for a minimum of four weeks is where we start to see the true benefits for the nervous system.' Read on for how to do each exercise and start using the soothing and regenerative powers of breathwork for yourself. 1. Lay the foundations: breath awareness and functional breathing 'This foundational practice helps you reconnect with your breath, laying the groundwork for better physical and mental wellbeing by ensuring your breathing is efficient and natural,' explains Clements. If you've never tried a breathing exercise before, breath awareness is a great first step. It's a practice that encourages you to simply notice the way you breathe and then, learn to control the pace and depth of each inhalation and exhalation. 'The first port of call is reconnecting to your own breath,' says Clements. 'Notice how your breath shifts throughout the day, when you feel good, when you don't feel good, and everything in between.' How to do it: Sit or lie down in a comfortable position. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly. Without trying to change anything, simply observe your natural breath. Notice where the breath moves – does your chest rise more than your belly? Is your breathing shallow or deep? Are your inhales or exhales longer? Shift to diaphragmatic breathing by directing your breath down to your belly. Inhale gently through your nose for a count of four, allowing your belly to expand, then exhale slowly through your nose for a count of four as your belly deflates. Keep the breath soft and effortless, aiming for a rhythm of six to 10 breaths per minute. When to use it: 'You can use this exercise any time, especially at the start of your breathwork journey, as a warm-up for other techniques, or to reset during moments of stress or fatigue,' says Clements. 'By cultivating awareness and practising functional breathing, you create a strong foundation for more advanced breathwork techniques, ensuring your breathing supports your body and mind at all times,' he adds. 2. Find calm in the chaos: extended exhale breathing 'When stress builds up and you need to ground yourself, extended exhale breathing can help soothe your nervous system and restore a sense of calm,' explains Clements. How to do it: Close your eyes and begin by breathing in through your nose for a count of four. Then exhale slowly and fully through your mouth for a count of six or eight – depending on what feels comfortable for you. Don't overthink it or overstretch yourself. You can repeat this as many times as you feel you need to and you should feel yourself winding down from that point of high stress after a few rounds. 'The extended exhale activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the 'rest and digest' response,' explains Clements. 'This helps to reduce those feelings of anxiety and stress.' When to use it: The best time to call upon this exercise is when you feel your stress levels rising. If you notice your heart beating faster, your breathing becoming more shallow or a sense of overwhelm creeping in, take a moment and try this nerve-steadying technique. 3. Lift the fog: power breathing 'This exercise is perfect for the mornings or when you hit an afternoon slump,' says Clements. 'It's an energising breathwork technique that clears mental cobwebs and boosts focus.' How to do it: Take short, forceful inhales and exhale through your nose at a steady rhythm. Aim for 20 to 30 breaths in quick succession (around one breath per second), then pause and take a deep, controlled inhale and exhale to reset. Repeat for two or three rounds. Clements explains that 'this practice increases oxygen levels and stimulates your sympathetic nervous system, enhancing energy, mental clarity, and alertness.' When to use it: This exercise is great for getting you out of a slump or low mood spiral, it gives you energy and brightens you. It's therefore ideal for shaking off grogginess in the morning, refocusing before a meeting, or helping you to power through a long day. 4. Dive deeper: conscious connected breathing As a breathwork coach, Clements explains he works with a range of different needs and issues. Though anxiety, low mood and high stress are often the most common, clients also come to him because they feel stuck in a rut, unsure about their choices or unable to move forward with their goals. He explains that 'for a deeper emotional release, a conscious connected breathing exercise can help you to tap into your subconscious mind, inviting more profound introspection.' These kinds of breathing exercises can be helpful if you find yourself feeling stuck or unsure about where your life is heading. They can also be effective at easing stress long term, helping you to gain more clarity on your goals and what matters most to you in life. How to do it: Lie down in a comfortable space and breathe continuously through your mouth, connecting the inhale and exhale without any pauses in between. The rhythm should feel smooth and circular. Start with 10 to 20 minutes and guide your mind by setting an intention or listening to music. You can also close your eyes if it helps. 'This technique can create the experience of an altered state of consciousness and helps release stored emotions and tension, leaving you feeling lighter and more in tune with yourself,' says Clements. When to use it: This exercise is best for when you have a little time to yourself. Use it during moments of reflection, when working through emotional blockages and issues that are troubling you, or to deepen your mindfulness practices and take them to new levels. Clements highlights that 'each of these techniques is tailored to different needs, helping you bring balance, energy, or deeper insight into your day.' If you're able to set aside a few minutes for each exercise and at least 10 minutes for the final one each day, you should start to notice changes in your stress levels and your resilience within a matter of weeks. However, as Clements explains, consistency is key so although each exercise is easy to do, sticking with the daily practice is the gateway to a calmer state of mind and feeling more in control long term.
