Why is conscious connected breathwork so powerful for ADHD?

Until a few years ago, I had no idea this practice existed. And as someone diagnosed with ADHD in their mid-30s, I had spent much of my life breathing in a very shallow way, high up in my chest. This left me frequently dysregulated and I spent too much time in fight or flight mode. I felt powerless to bring myself into balance during times of stress; which were frequent, due to my complete lack of knowledge around how to self-regulate.

Conscious connected breathwork is a therapeutic practice that can help us gain deeper insights about our life, experience profound healing, improve our physical health and enhance our emotional wellbeing. If, like me, you have ADHD, this modality offers so many benefits, which can help us combat challenges and love ourselves more.

ADHD can make us breathe irregularly - too quickly and too shallow; high in the chest, rather than deeply into the stomach. Training ourselves to breathe better helps slow down our thoughts, energise exhausted bodies, improve focus and much more.

ADHD often brings difficulties with regulating emotions, which can lead to impulsivity, overwhelm, isolation and shame. Conscious connected breathwork facilitates emotional release, helping resilience, emotional balance and the ability to express intense feelings.

To counter the last point, those of us with ADHD often feel things very deeply; which can also be beautiful! This means we can also engage with  feelings of joy, gratitude and love when we practise breathwork, potentially leading to a highly euphoric, transformative experience.

ADHD is closely associated with suppressed trauma. Breathwork is a powerful form of somatic release, helping us go beyond the conscious mind to access and process experiences buried deep within our subconscious.

ADHD sensitivity can mean we get stuck in the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight response), with a perpetual state of hyperarousal. Breathwork helps us learn to activate our parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest), so we can feel calmer and more in control of how we respond to everyday situations.

ADHD typically brings above-average stress levels; co-occurring anxiety disorders are common. Breathwork helps reduce stress and anxiety through deep, rhythmic breathing that helps lower stress hormones like cortisol.

ADHD can leave us disconnected from our bodies and frequently in our heads, unless we ground ourselves to help us be more present. Breathwork supports that mind-body connection by bringing awareness to physical sensations. Through the breath, we can build a more loving relationship with our body, creating a sense of safety in our physical being.

As a fully qualified facilitator in conscious connected breathwork and integrative somatic release, I’m passionate about bringing the benefits of this practice to other people with ADHD. If you’d like to learn more, read about my breathwork classes and 1:1 services.