This week’s challenge was to try a called DMT releasing breathwork. I chose this video from “Breathe with Sandy” which is basically 3 guided rounds of Wim Hof method, a modernised version of the ancient Tibetan g-tummo breathing.

The breathing consists of 3 rounds of the following:

• 30 full breaths at a fast pace (hyperventilation). Oxygenating the body, dropping the levels of CO2 in the blood, and alkalinizing the blood.
• Breath hold for 30 seconds after the last inhale while squeezing the muscles.
• Breath retention for 1 minute and 30 seconds after exhaling.

On the scientific side, the quick breathing at the beginning triggers the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight), making us more alert. Followed by prolonged breath holds where the parasympathetic system will take over. We’re self-inducing stress and training our minds to stay calm and be more comfortable in agitated states. In other words, we’re building our stress threshold and therefore resilience.

Some of the benefits of this practice include increasing energy levels, boosting the immune system, lowering inflammation in the body, toning up the vagus nerve, reducing stress levels and increasing willpower. And some believe that breathwork and meditations can also induce the pineal gland to secrete enough DMT to produce psychedelic effects.

The 3 rounds of breathing take a bit under 20 minutes. I like to practice yoga before meditation or breathwork because it reduces my back pain and general stiffness, which makes it easier to stay seated for a while. So I do. At the beginning of the breathing, I get intense sensations in my body and head, to the point where it feels uncomfortable and immediately a part of me wants to slow down or stop, but I committed to it so I keep going, reminding myself that it’s ok to feel this way and that it’ll pass. In the breath hold I feel tingling sensations around my face and it feels like I’m releasing tension from my jaw. Each round gets easier and I start to enjoy it, I find myself smiling in the last hold and feeling pretty good. At the end of it, I feel relaxed, in a similar way to how I feel after a long day on the beach when you get back home and you know you’re going to have a lovely night of sleep. It’s hard to explain but the whole experience feels like an energetic build-up and release.

I know for myself that it can be hard to commit to well-being practices, but I also know that my days, mood, and ability to focus and cope with life, improve tremendously when I make time to take care of my body and mind. And this was a great reminder to incorporate more breathwork into my day-to-day. Would you give it a go?

“To master the breath is to be in control of our bodies and minds.” — Thich Nhat Hanh