Breathe: To Manage ADHD Without Meds
4 science-backed reasons Breathwork is essential for managing ADHD
Breathwork makes ADHD easier to live with.
It’s helped me manage my symptoms. It’s helped my coaching clients too.
But this is just anecdotal evidence. To prove that Breathwork is an essential tool for the drug free ADHDer I dug into the research.
Here’s what I found:
What does Breathwork do to your body?
1) Reduces cortisol levels
Cortisol is a hormone. It's like your body's alarm system.
When you're scared or stressed, cortisol gives you a quick burst of energy, helps you stay awake, and stops you from getting sick by making your immune system strong.
It’s an essential hormone.
But there’s a big problem…
In our modern world, where physical threats are less common but everyday stress is frequent, cortisol can be triggered too often. This can lead to chronic stress, affecting our health negatively. So while cortisol is necessary, the way it's activated in today's mostly safe but stressful environment can be problematic.
It’s important to reduce it when we can.
This study proves that breathwork can reduce cortisol on demand.
Why on demand?
Because, unlike with the use of a pill or a change of external events, you are in complete control of your breathing patterns.
By slowing them down, and extending the out breath to 4 to 5 times longer than the in breath, you can feel (in real-time) stress reduction within your body.
2) Reduces blood pressure
This one is so simple. And so obvious once you read the paragraph below:
When you breathe deeply and slowly, it helps your body relax. This relaxation makes your heart beat more slowly and gently, which means your blood doesn't push as hard against your blood vessels. So, doing breathwork can help lower your blood pressure.
Simple!
But we don’t think like this.
We need some complex explanation for everything. Well, we got that too…
Here’s scientific proof that Breathwork can reduce blood pressure.
Ok, so how do you do breathwork that reduces blood pressure?
You can learn how, alongside other ADHDers, at my online Breathwork & Meditation workshop on Thursday 28th March 2024.
>>> Go here to learn more and buy tickets 👉
Tickets are only £19!
3) Breathwork can increase your attention
Firstly, if your cortisol and blood pressure is reduced you focus better.
You focus better because you’re NOT in a state of hyper-vigilance (which is what I believe RSD really is).
But there’s more…
Deep breathing increases oxygen levels. Oxygen helps the brain function and focus.
Breathwork activates the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing stress and allowing the brain to shift from a scattered state to a more focused state.
And finally, the point I find most fascinating:
Controlled breathing can help regulate brainwaves, promoting a state of calm alertness conducive to focused attention.
Why am I fascinated by this?
Because it’s proof that you can control your brain function via your breath!
I hope you’re starting to see why I’m so excited by Breathwork. And why I’m so keen on you learning it from me this week.
When all is said and done, Breathwork is an essential tool for those of us with ADHD. Calming us down AND boosting our focus in one swoop.
Finally, there’s one last physiological benefit I love talking about:
The vagus nerve.
Let’s dig in…
4) Slow breathing stimulates the vagus nerve
For an adult with ADHD, practicing breathwork is like pressing a calm-down button for the body. This works by relaxing the vagus nerve. Here’s why it's beneficial:
Reduces Restlessness: It helps you feel less fidgety and impulsive, making it easier to stay still and think things through before acting.
Boosts Focus: When you're more relaxed, your mind isn't all over the place, so focusing on tasks and remembering important details becomes easier.
Balances Emotions: Adults with ADHD might find their emotions hard to control. Breathwork helps smooth those emotional ups and downs, making you feel more steady.
Improves Sleep: If falling asleep is tough, breathwork can help you unwind and relax at bedtime, leading to better sleep quality.
Breathwork can be a helpful tool for adults with ADHD to manage stress, improve concentration, and stabilise emotions, all by simply focusing on their breathing.
I’ll teach you the exact technique for managing ADHD without medication…
I believe so much in the power of Breathwork for ADHD that I’m teaching you a Breathwork technique proven to reduce your stress, boost your focus, and leave you feeling calm.
You’ll learn it within the first 30 minutes of the Breathwork & Meditation Workshop I’m teaching for ADHDers.
It’s in two days — on Thursday 28th March at 18:30 UK.
Tickets are £19.
Will you join us?