Hello friends. A question I get a lot from my students: why do some people feel very dizzy during breathwork, or sometimes even faint? It is good to understand what is really happening in the body. When you understand it, you can practise in a much safer and more effective way.
Two kinds of breathing: more than you need, and less than you need
Basically, there are two directions in breathing techniques. In some techniques you breathe more than your body actually needs. This is called hyperventilation. In other techniques you breathe a little bit less than you need. This is called hypoventilation. Both have their place, but they do very different things in the body.
What happens when you breathe very strongly
Many people think that when you breathe very fast and deep, you bring a lot of extra oxygen into the body. That is not really the case. If you breathe normally and well, your blood is already around 96% saturated with oxygen. With strong breathing it goes up to maybe 98 or 99%, but not more than that.
What you mainly do with strong breathing is breathe out a lot of carbon dioxide (CO2). And CO2 is very important. It keeps the blood a little bit acidic, and the haemoglobin in your blood needs that bit of acidity to release oxygen into the cells. When you blow off a lot of CO2, the blood becomes more alkaline and it becomes harder for the oxygen to go from the blood into your cells.
On top of that, the blood vessels start to contract. This is called vasoconstriction. It’s almost as if the body says: wait a minute, too much breathing is happening, let’s close things down a little. Also the vessels around the brain become narrower, so less blood flows to the brain.
So why do you get dizzy?
Putting it together: the oxygen is not released well into the cells, and less blood reaches the brain. So with very strong breathing you are actually giving your brain less oxygen, not more. That is why you feel light-headed, tingly, dizzy, and if you really push it, you can faint. It is not because you are so full of oxygen and energy. It is your brain asking for a break.
What slow breathing does
With slow and calm breathing it works the other way around. CO2 rises a little, the blood becomes a bit more acidic, the oxygen is released more easily, and the vessels open up. This is called vasodilation. Blood flows better, and the nervous system calms down. That’s why a balanced practice always includes calm, slow breathing techniques as well.
How to practise strong breathwork safely
- Never push your limits. Breathwork is not about getting high or spaced out. Do enough to feel opened up and unblocked, and then stop.
- Be careful with long breath holds straight after rounds of strong breathing. Hold gently, and come out of it when you feel you have enough.
- Always sit or lie down. Never practise strong breathing while standing, driving, or in or near water.
- Balance strong and calm techniques. After an activating practice, always come back with slow breathing and some minutes of stillness.
- Check your health first. If you have heart problems, high blood pressure, epilepsy, problems with pressure in the brain, or you are pregnant, don’t do strong breathing practices. Choose the gentle techniques, and speak with your doctor.
In all the sessions I have guided, nobody ever fainted, because I always tell people: feel your own limit, go step by step, and never force anything. Done like that, breathwork is a beautiful and safe tool to cleanse the mind and body.
Continue your practice
If you want to learn these techniques step by step, with both the strong and the calm practices in balance, have a look at Breath is Life, my online pranayama and breathwork course. And if you want to guide others safely, the Breathwork & Pranayama Instructor Course goes deep into the science and safety of teaching. All my courses are pay what you can, so everyone can learn these practices, whatever their situation.
May we all be blessed with peace, love and wisdom.
Michaël
