The word “breathwork” may be newer, but the idea of controlled breathing exercises has been around for ages. Just a few quick searches uncovers breathwork being used therapeutically for ailments ranging from anxiety to COPD to stroke to heat exhaustion (check out the links at the bottom!). One exercise I have seen mentioned often recently is pursed lip breathing, or straw breathing. It’s a technique that uses a straw, or imaginary straw, to slow down your exhale. Various instructions have you start by inhaling through the nose, and exhaling, with relaxed lips, through a straw. You then work your way towards counting the numbers of seconds you can maintain the exhalation, and slowly increasing that number. I have been using this technique myself for some years without a tool, and was skeptical that using an actual straw would make much of a difference. But when I discovered that there are a variety of wearable “breathing straws” available these days, I decided to give it a try. Options for purchase go all the way from jewelry quality gold models to inexpensive bamboo versions, and if you don’t have access to tools and supplies these are great options – as is just using any straw you have, whether you can put it on a chain and wear it or not. If you feel crafty, though, you could make your own, like I did.
I have collected a number of reusable straws in my household over the last few years, as I bet many of you have too. Here are the (clean) ones I could find at a moment’s notice.
I wanted something that I would enjoy wearing regularly, and chose a rainbow stainless steel straw. I had my husband cut it into lengths of roughly 3 inches, with the cuts at a 45 degree angle, and drill a hole through the angled end. After some sanding, I superglued on some rhinestones and a bead, and added a ring for hanging from a chain.
Somewhat to my surprise, using an actual straw slowed my exhale down to almost twice the number of seconds I was managing before, without any extra effort. It makes a noticeable difference in the effectiveness of the exercise, too. I’m sold on my DIY breathing straw, and encourage you to try it too! My next challenge: putting together a playlist of songs at 60 beats per minute, to make the counting part more fun. I’ll come back and share that when it is ready.
Breathwork links:
Straw breathing tips and techniques: https://www.allroundyoga.ie/breath-work-straw-breathing/
Breathwork for stroke recovery: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5361011/
Breathwork for strengthening lungs: https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/wellness/breathing-exercises
Breathwork for COPD: https://www.webmd.com/lung/copd/features/breathing-copd
Use of breath work in reducing heat sickness: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30637992/
Breathwork for reducing anxiety: https://www.healthline.com/health/breathing-exercises-for-anxiety
Breathwork for singers: https://www.musikalessons.com/blog/2017/05/breathing-exercises-for-singing/
Breathwork for flute players: https://www.theflutecoach.com/breath-support-flute/