The role of breathwork in nervous system restoration

Breathwork is one of the most accessible tools for supporting wellness. The way you breathe influences how your body handles stress, how quickly you move into a state of rest, and how well your nervous system regulates itself after challenges such as intense training or daily tension. At ISKA, we see breathwork as a natural complement to cold immersion and sauna exposure, helping you move more smoothly between activation and calm.

How breathwork influences the nervous system

Breathing is unique: it is both automatic and something you can consciously control. By deliberately slowing and shaping the breath, you send signals to the brainstem that activate the parasympathetic nervous system. This system lowers heart rate, reduces blood pressure, and stimulates digestive and repair functions, the foundations of wellness.

Scientific studies back this up. A 2022 meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials found that breathwork interventions significantly reduced stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms compared to control groups. Researchers also note that slow, diaphragmatic breathing increases heart rate variability (HRV), a key marker of nervous system resilience. Higher HRV is associated with faster improvements after both physical and psychological stress.

The science behind oxygen, carbon dioxide, and vagus nerve activation

When stress pushes breathing into a fast, shallow pattern, the body loses too much carbon dioxide. This imbalance constricts blood vessels, reduces oxygen delivery to tissues, and amplifies anxiety. Controlled breathwork restores balance, ensuring oxygen is efficiently released into the muscles and brain.

Equally important is the vagus nerve, which runs from the brainstem through the lungs, heart, and gut. Long exhales, humming, or box breathing stimulate this nerve, shifting the nervous system out of fight-or-flight and into restoration. Over time, regular vagal stimulation through breathwork improves emotional regulation, sleep quality, and physical resilience.

Learn more about the Vagus nerve

Breathwork techniques that calm the body and mind

Different breathing patterns have different effects on the nervous system. Some are designed to downshift the body into rest and restoration, while others provide gentle activation when energy is low. Choosing the right one for your state is key.

• Physiological sigh – a double inhale followed by a slow exhale. This simple pattern is one of the fastest ways to reduce stress, as it stimulates the vagus nerve and quickly lowers heart rate. It mirrors the body’s natural response after crying, a built-in reset for the nervous system.

• Box breathing (4x4) – inhale for four seconds, hold for four, exhale for four, pause for four. Used by athletes, military professionals, and meditators alike, this method balances the nervous system, improves focus, and stabilises breathing rhythms under pressure.

• Diaphragmatic breathing – slow, deep breaths into the belly rather than the chest. This technique increases oxygen delivery, lowers cortisol, and supports nerve repair. It also helps reverse shallow breathing patterns that can develop from prolonged stress or anxiety.

• 4-7-8 breathing – inhale for four, hold for seven, exhale for eight. Known as a natural sleep aid, this technique is particularly effective for winding down at night, lengthening the exhalation phase to encourage the body into parasympathetic dominance.

• Alternate nostril breathing – inhaling through one nostril and exhaling through the other. This practice has been shown to balance activity in the left and right hemispheres of the brain, improving focus and promoting calm alertness.

• Pursed-lip breathing – inhaling through the nose and exhaling slowly through pursed lips. This increases lung capacity, supports oxygen exchange, and is especially useful after physical exertion or heat exposure in the sauna.

These methods, when practiced consistently, enhance circulation, reduce inflammation, and improve both mental clarity and physical improvement.

Breathwork, neuroplasticity, and brain function

Breathwork does more than calm the body, it actively shapes the brain. Controlled breathing has been shown to regulate brainwave patterns, promoting alpha and theta states that are associated with relaxation, learning, and emotional processing. These states create the conditions for clearer focus, deeper rest, and more effective memory retention.

Neuroimaging studies suggest that consistent breathwork practice can even increase grey matter volume in areas linked to memory, attention, and executive function. This structural change reflects the brain’s ability to adapt, known as neuroplasticity. By repeatedly guiding the body into calm states through breathwork, you strengthen the neural pathways that make it easier to recover from stress in the future.

The impact extends beyond stress relief. Regular breathwork has been linked to improved emotional regulation, faster recovery from trauma, and enhanced creativity. For athletes, this can mean sharper decision-making under pressure. For anyone dealing with modern-day stressors, it translates into greater resilience and balance.

In practice, this means that a few minutes of intentional breathing each day is not just a tool for the moment, it is an investment in your long-term mental health. By stimulating neuroplasticity, breathwork helps the brain stay adaptable, supporting your body not only in the nervous system but also in how you think, feel, and respond to challenges.

Does breathwork help during ice baths and sauna sessions?

Many people ask whether it is beneficial to practise breathwork during ice baths or sauna sessions. The answer is yes, with the right approach. Cold immersion can trigger rapid, shallow breathing as the body reacts to shock. Using steady nasal breathing or the physiological sigh can calm this response, reduce panic, and help you stay longer in the water while maintaining control.

In the sauna, slow diaphragmatic or box breathing enhances relaxation and circulation, deepening the shift into the parasympathetic state. The heat elevates heart rate and blood flow; combining this with conscious breathwork amplifies the body’s ability to release tension and recover.

Together, heat and cold therapies paired with breathwork create a powerful contrast practice. The nervous system learns to adapt quickly to shifts in environment, leaving you more grounded, focused, and balanced after each session.

Signing off

Breathwork is more than a practice, it is a pathway to resilience. When paired with cold immersion and heat exposure. it becomes a powerful tool for wellness, balance, and long-term nervous system health. Whether you are stepping into the ice or taking time in the sauna, your breath is the anchor that helps you adapt, regulate, and restore.

See you in the ice soon,

The ISKA Team