Why Conscious Connected Breathwork Helps You Rewrite Unhelpful Patterns and Behaviours

Conscious connected breathwork is a powerful practice that has gained increasing attention for its profound ability to help us release suppressed emotions, break free from unhelpful behavioral patterns, and promote deep healing. But how exactly does it work? What makes it so effective at rewiring negative behaviors and helping us confront repressed emotional experiences? In this blog, we’ll explore the science behind breathwork, the role it plays in emotional release, and why it is so effective at helping us heal on a subconscious level.

What is Conscious Connected Breathwork?

Conscious connected breathwork involves a specific breathing pattern designed to increase awareness and promote emotional healing. The practice involves breathing deeply and continuously, without pauses, which helps create a relaxed yet heightened state of awareness. By focusing on the breath and following the specific rhythm, this technique allows you to access the subconscious mind and release emotions that may have been buried for years.

This continuous flow of air helps bypass the conscious mind and allows deeper emotional processing, shifting the focus from intellectual defenses to deep-rooted emotional blocks. In essence, it helps move the ego aside, making room for emotional release, healing, and rewiring of old behavioral patterns.

How Breathwork Helps Shift Unhelpful Patterns and Behaviors

Many of us find ourselves stuck in cycles of negative behavior—whether it’s reacting to certain situations with anger, feeling overwhelmed by anxiety, or getting stuck in unhelpful thought patterns. These behaviors often arise from unresolved emotions, limiting beliefs, and deeply ingrained responses that are stored in the subconscious mind.

Breathwork has a unique ability to reach the subconscious and shift these patterns. By engaging in conscious, connected breathing, we can access and release emotional blocks, reframe our mental responses, and cultivate healthier emotional habits. When we breathe deeply, the body shifts into the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest mode), which calms stress and opens the door for emotional release.

This calming response can help break the automatic patterns of behavior that are often fueled by stress or anxiety, and reprogram the body and mind to respond with more balanced and conscious emotional reactions.

Moving the Ego Out of the Way

One of the unique aspects of conscious connected breathwork is its ability to help move the ego aside. The ego acts as a protective mechanism, preventing us from confronting uncomfortable emotions, trauma, or negative memories. It creates defenses and mental blockages that keep us from experiencing true emotional release. By bypassing the conscious mind, breathwork allows suppressed emotions to surface, making it easier to let go of unhelpful beliefs and patterns.

Scientific studies show that breathwork activates key areas of the brain responsible for emotional regulation, allowing us to step outside of our ego-driven responses and make space for emotional healing.

The Science Behind Breathwork and Emotional Release

1. Breathwork and Stress Reduction

A study published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that deep, controlled breathing significantly reduced stress and anxiety levels. Researchers observed reductions in cortisol levels (the primary stress hormone), heart rate, and blood pressure after just a short period of focused breathwork. This physiological shift promotes relaxation and helps reduce the intensity of emotional responses, making it easier to release suppressed feelings.

  • Source: The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (2013), "Effect of slow, controlled breathing on stress and anxiety."

2. Breathwork and PTSD

Research published in Frontiers in Psychology examined how breathwork could help those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The study found that certain breathing techniques, especially slow, controlled exhalations, helped individuals with PTSD regulate their emotions and reduce hyper-arousal symptoms. This is significant because emotional regulation is key to breaking negative emotional patterns and reducing the intensity of traumatic memories.

  • Source: Frontiers in Psychology (2019), "Breathing techniques for PTSD: A review of literature and their therapeutic potential."

3. Breathing and Brain Function

In a 2018 study published in The International Journal of Yoga, researchers explored how controlled breathing can affect brain function. They found that breath regulation could improve cognitive control and emotional regulation by activating specific regions of the brain. Participants who engaged in regular breathwork exhibited greater mental clarity and emotional stability, which suggests that conscious breathing can help us rewrite patterns of thought and emotional response.

  • Source: The International Journal of Yoga (2018), "The impact of controlled breathing on cognitive function and emotional regulation."

4. Breathwork and Vagal Nerve Activation

Breathwork has also been shown to stimulate the vagus nerve, which plays a key role in regulating the parasympathetic nervous system—the body’s rest-and-digest mode. A 2014 study published in Psychophysiology found that deep, slow breathing enhanced vagal tone, leading to reduced stress and greater emotional resilience. By activating the vagus nerve, breathwork promotes relaxation and allows the body to release stored emotions.

  • Source: Psychophysiology (2014), "Breathing techniques and vagal tone: A neurophysiological study."

5. Breathwork and Depression

A study published in BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies in 2018 explored the effects of breathwork on individuals with depression. The study found that slow, deep breathing exercises increased serotonin levels—helping to improve mood and alleviate symptoms of depression. Additionally, participants showed decreased cortisol levels, further supporting the link between breathwork and emotional regulation.

  • Source: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies (2018), "Effect of slow breathing exercises on depression and anxiety."

Rewriting Behavioral Patterns Through Breathwork

Breathwork doesn’t just help release emotional blocks; it can also actively help rewrite unhealthy behavioral patterns. As we practice conscious breathing, we can increase our awareness of unconscious reactions and thought patterns, helping us break free from habitual responses. Whether it’s reacting with anger in certain situations or feeling overwhelmed by anxiety, breathwork enables us to interrupt these automatic behaviors and create space for healthier responses.

By focusing on the breath, we can train our body to stay grounded in the present moment, free from the influence of past trauma or emotional reactivity. This not only rewires our emotional responses but also allows us to create new, more adaptive behavioral patterns.

Letting Go of Suppressed Emotions

One of the most significant benefits of conscious connected breathwork is its ability to bring suppressed emotions to the surface. Many of us carry emotional baggage from past experiences—trauma, grief, or unprocessed feelings—that affects our daily lives without us even realizing it. Breathwork helps uncover and release these emotions in a safe and controlled environment, facilitating emotional catharsis and allowing for true healing to take place.

Conscious connected breathwork is a transformative tool for emotional healing and behavior change. By bypassing the ego and engaging with the subconscious, breathwork creates space for emotional release, the reprogramming of unhelpful patterns, and a deeper connection to the true self. Scientific research supports the many benefits of this practice, demonstrating its positive effects on stress, anxiety, trauma, brain function, and overall emotional regulation.

If you’re ready to rewrite old patterns, release suppressed emotions, and cultivate healthier emotional responses, conscious connected breathwork could be the key to unlocking lasting transformation.

References:

  • The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (2013), "Effect of slow, controlled breathing on stress and anxiety."

  • Frontiers in Psychology (2019), "Breathing techniques for PTSD: A review of literature and their therapeutic potential."

  • The International Journal of Yoga (2018), "The impact of controlled breathing on cognitive function and emotional regulation."

  • Psychophysiology (2014), "Breathing techniques and vagal tone: A neurophysiological study."

  • BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies (2018), "Effect of slow breathing exercises on depression and anxiety."

Mel Lacy-Fewtrell