Breathing: Science & Practice Of Breathwork. Module 2, Slow & Nasal Breathing - by Dr. Inge Wolsink

COURSE

Breathing: Science & Practice Of Breathwork. Module 2, Slow & Nasal Breathing

With Dr. Inge Wolsink

Breathing is one of the biggest pillars of health. How you breathe influences every system in your body. How breathing may help you, however, depends on the practice you pick. Going beyond a 'one size fits all' view of breathwork, “Breathing” is created to give you an overview of all the different types of breathing practices out there, so you can pick the breathwork routine that is just right for you. The first step in that journey, is to become aware of the natural process of Breathing. If you are new to this course, I strongly advise you to start with Module 1 – "Breath Awareness”. In Module 1, you will learn everything you need to know about how breathing works in your body: knowledge that is necessary to understand the content of this Module, on Slow and Nasal Breathing. The second step in that journey, is to understand the importance of nasal breathing and slow breathing for optimal health and relaxation. Welcome to Module 2 of “Breathing”: Slow & Nasal Breathing. In this module, you will learn about the power of breathing through your nose, the haphazard around breathing through the mouth, the importance of chewing for proper breathing maintenance throughout life, and the importance of slow breathing for optimal relaxation.

AnxietySleepStressSciencePranayamaStress & AnxietyScienceMovement

Meet your Teacher

Dr. Inge Wolsink
Amsterdam, Netherlands

Inge merges her scientific background with her work as a yoga and meditation teacher. She bridges western science and ancient eastern practices into a deeply informative yet very accessible way of learning.

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9 Days

3.0k students

4.9 stars

15 min / day

Anxiety

English

Lesson 1

Theory: Nasal Breathing - For Better Sleep, Cognition, Emotion Regulation, And Physical Fitness

This Theory session discusses the science behind the importance of nasal breathing. Our bodies are designed for nasal breathing, in the same way that they are designed to eat with our mouths. Somehow, about half of us have lost that intuitive knowledge. Today’s session discussed why and how to regain or strengthen nasal breathing power. PLEASE NOTE: this session, and all the sessions in this module, builds upon knowledge discussed in Module 1, on Breath Awareness. In particular, this session builds upon knowledge about CO2 and O2 balance, the Haldane and Bohr effect, Nitric Oxide effects, and the benefits of slow and nasal breathing already discussed in Module 1. SOURCES: Niazi, I.K., Navid, M.S., Bartley, J. et al. (2022). EEG signatures change during unilateral Yogi nasal breathing. Nature reports. // Daniel Simpson – Yogic Breathing. // Bonuck K, Freeman K, Chervin RD, Xu L. Sleep-disordered breathing in a population-based cohort: behavioral outcomes at 4 and 7 years. Pediatrics. // Yadav & Mutha (2016) - Deep Breathing Practice Facilitates Retention of Newly Learned Motor Skills - Nature reports. // Alejandro Sánchez Crespo, Jenny Hallberg, Jon O. Lundberg, Sten G. E. Lindahl, Hans Jacobsson, Eddie Weitzberg, and Sven Nyrén (1985) Nasal nitric oxide and regulation of human pulmonary blood flow in the upright position - Journal of applied physiology. // Zelano C, Jiang H, Zhou G, Arora N, Schuele S, Rosenow J, Gottfried JA. Nasal (2016) Respiration Entrains Human Limbic Oscillations and Modulates Cognitive Function. J Neurosci. // Andrea Zaccaro, Andrea Piarulli, Lorenza Melosini, Danilo Menicucci ,Angelo Gemignani (2022) Neural Correlates of Non-ordinary States of Consciousness in Pranayama Practitioners: The Role of Slow Nasal Breathing, Front. Syst. Neurosci. // Kahana-Zweig, R., Geva-Sagiv, M., Weissbrod, A., Secundo, L., Soroker, N., & Sobel, N. (2016). Measuring and characterizing the human nasal cycle. PLoS One. // Heck, D. H., Kozma, R., & Kay, L. M. (2019). The rhythm of memory: how breathing shapes memory function. Journal of Neurophysiology. // Sedky, K., Bennett, D. S., & Carvalho, K. S. (2014). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and sleep disordered breathing in pediatric populations: a meta-analysis. Sleep medicine reviews. //

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Lesson 2

Practice: Nasal Clearing - Free Your Nose From Blockages

This session is about enhancing your capacity for nasal breathing. We all have times when it is hard to breathe through our noses, and for some of us, this is chronic. This session will teach you how to clear your nose for nasal breathing practices. This technique is mixed with mindful and controlled slow breathing, which will allow you to relax while clearing your nose. PLEASE NOTE: this session, and all the sessions in this module, builds upon knowledge discussed in Module 1, on Breath Awareness. In particular, this session builds upon knowledge on Breath holds and the BOLT score. SOURCES: Patrick McKeown, the Breathing Cure.

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Lesson 3

Practice: Ujjayi Pranayama – Victorious Breath For Steady Physical Performance

Ujjayi Pranayama, meaning victorious breath, is a controlled, slightly constricted, and very steady breathing through the nose, that works out the tongue and back of the throat, as well as the supporting breathing muscles. You can practice Ujjayi pranayama while sitting or walking, and, when you are comfortable with the technique, you can use it in any type of physical exercise. The main purpose is to train all the assisting muscles of breathing so you have full control over your breath as you train or meditate. PLEASE NOTE: this session, and all the sessions in this module, builds upon knowledge discussed in Module 1, on Breath Awareness. In particular, this session builds upon knowledge about CO2 and O2 balance, the Haldane and Bohr effect, and the benefits of slow and nasal breathing discussed in Module 1. SOURCES: Mason, H., Vandoni, M., Debarbieri, G., Codrons, E., Ugargol, V., & Bernardi, L. (2013). Cardiovascular and respiratory effect of yogic slow breathing in the yoga beginner: what is the best approach? Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. // Refining the Breath – Doug Keller. //

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Lesson 4

Theory: Chewing - How Food Changed Our Airways

This theory session discusses how eating improves your nasal breathing. You will learn how we have become mouth breathers, what this has done to our facial structures, and what you can do to help revert this process apart from nasal breathing practices. PLEASE NOTE: this session, and all the sessions in this module, builds upon knowledge discussed in Module 1, on Breath Awareness. In particular, this session builds upon knowledge about benefits of slow and nasal breathing, and about breath awareness discussed in Module 1. SOURCES: Zhao, Z., Zheng, L., Huang, X., Li, C., Liu, J., & Hu, Y. (2021). Effects of mouth breathing on facial skeletal development in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Oral Health. // Achmad, H., & Ansar, A. W. (2021). Mouth breathing in pediatric population: a literature review. Annals of the Romanian Society for Cell Biology. // Sandra Kahn and Paul Ehrlich -Jaws. // James Nestor - Breath. //

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Lesson 5

Practice: Mindful Eating – How To Create More Space And Strength For Nasal Breathing

This practice session requires you to eat! Before you sit down for this session, prepare some food for yourself, preferably something that will give your jaws a workout. Mindful eating is useful for three reasons. It wires in the habit of chewing, it increases enjoyment of the eating experience, and it reduces food intake. PLEASE NOTE: this session, and all the sessions in this module, builds upon knowledge discussed in Module 1, on Breath Awareness. In particular, this session builds upon knowledge about benefits of slow and nasal breathing, and about breath awareness discussed in Module 1.

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Lesson 6

Theory: Slow Breathing To Induce Relaxation, Calm, Clarity, And Connection

This theory session discusses the importance of slow breathing. Slow breathing, and particularly lengthening exhales, activates the parasympathetic nervous system, activating rest and digestion, creating calmness and relaxation, reducing anxiety and stress, lowering heart rate and blood pressure, improving cognitive function, blood flow and cerebrospinal fluids to the brain, decreasing harmful proteins that are linked to brain disease, and improving feelings of connection, synchrony and peace when practiced with others. PLEASE NOTE: this session, and all the sessions in this module, builds upon knowledge discussed in Module 1, on Breath Awareness. In particular, this session builds upon knowledge about CO2 and O2 balance, the Haldane and Bohr effect, the Nervous System, Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia, and benefits of slow and nasal breathing discussed in Module 1. SOURCES: Bernardi, L., Sleight, P., Bandinelli, G., Cencetti, S., Fattorini, L., Wdowczyc-Szulc, J., & Lagi, A. (2001). Effect of rosary prayer and yoga mantras on autonomic cardiovascular rhythms: comparative study. Bmj. // Brown, R. P., & Gerbarg, P. L. (2009). Yoga breathing, meditation, and longevity. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. // Russo MA, Santarelli DM, O'Rourke D. The physiological effects of slow breathing in the healthy human. Breathe (Sheff). (2017). // Yackle, K., Schwarz, L. A., Kam, K., Sorokin, J. M., Huguenard, J. R., Feldman, J. L., ... & Krasnow, M. A. (2017). Breathing control center neurons that promote arousal in mice. Science, 2017. // Yildiz, S., Grinstead, J., Hildebrand, A. et al. (2022). Immediate impact of yogic breathing on pulsatile cerebrospinal fluid dynamics. Nature reports. // Min, J., Rouanet, J., Martini, A.C. et al. (2023). Modulating heart rate oscillation affects plasma amyloid beta and tau levels in younger and older adults. Nature Reports. // Laborde, S., Allen, M. S., Borges, U., Hosang, T. J., Furley, P., Mosley, E., & Dosseville, F. (2021). The influence of slow-paced breathing on executive function. Journal of Psychophysiology. // Meuret, A. E., Ritz, T., Wilhelm, F. H., Roth, W. T., & Rosenfield, D. (2018). Hypoventilation therapy alleviates panic by repeated induction of dyspnea. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging. //

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Lesson 7

Practice: Nadi Shodhana - Alternate Nostril Breathing For Slow Breathers (Longer Version)

This breathing practice session is about slowing down your breathing in a coordinated way. This is the long version of Nadi Shodhana, developed for those who are already breathing slowly with comfort. PLEASE NOTE! In case you suffer from anxiety, asthma, high blood pressure, are pregnant, or for any other reason, your BOLT score is low, please be aware that the slowest pace of breathing in this session may be too slow for you. If this is the case, use the next session instead of this one. If slow breathing is new for you, this may result in unconsciously hyperventilating (breathing too deep, too fast) to deal with a feeling of not having enough oxygen, or it may result in feeling anxious or jittery because you are not used to having your carbon dioxide levels rise. If you feel nauseous, anxious, dizzy, or you feel tingling sensations, this is a sign that your body needs a bit more time to get used to slow breathing. If you find that the pace of this practice is too slow for you, I have created a shorter version of this practice for you (day 8) so you can practice with that before you get back to this version of Alternate Nostril Breathing for slower breathers.

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Lesson 8

Practice: Nadi Shodhana - Alternate Nostril Breathing For Faster Breathers (Shorter Version)

This breathing practice session is about slowing down your breathing in a coordinated way. This is the short version of Nadi Shodhana, it is similar to the previous practice, but with shorter breaths. PLEASE NOTE: This session is particularly developed for those who need a bit more practice to learn how to breathe slowly with comfort, or for those who want a quicker practice because they have less time.

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Lesson 9

Practice: Bhramari Pranayama & Ohm – Long Exhales To Induce Relaxation And Connectedness

This slow breathing practice is focused on sound and singing, and on lengthening your exhales. The first practice is called Bhramari pranayama, or humming bee breath, the second practice is a short chanting practice where we sing the sound of AUM. PLEASE NOTE: Take this practice at your own breathing pace. You can follow my lead, but, the main purpose is to find a balance between improvement and comfort. Feel your personal balance point, and let it rest in the joint breathing practice. If you find that your breath becomes irregular, discard my lead and follow your own bodies' guidance instead.

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4.9 (268)

Recent Reviews

Sophia

January 4, 2026

The class was incredibly valuable for me. Thank you!

Tatyana

December 28, 2025

Amazing course on different breathing techniques to slow down the breath and benefit the health of the body and the nervous systems . Very thorough scientific explanation of the benefits to your health and your longevity . Much love and gratitude for sharing this wisdom of the ancient yogic philosophy . ❤️❤️❤️🙏🙏🙏

Bill

December 28, 2025

Excellent breath work instruction.

Michael

December 20, 2025

What an insightful course. Really interesting and full of great advice and breathwork practices. Comes highly recommended 🙏🏻 Can't wait for the next course ☺️

John

November 13, 2025

Very nice!! I appreciate the theory and practice. This is great training and knowledge to have.

Hannah

October 16, 2025

Thank you so much for this course! Being a former phd candidate in the medicinal field I really appreciate how you Connect science based theory with practice. Extremely interesting and motivating. I think this really benefits an audience who wants to know the ”why” when given life style/health advice.

Andres

October 5, 2025

Extremely helpful and informative. Excellent balance between theory and practice.

Jeff

September 15, 2025

Various breath works with different benefits.

Cathy

September 10, 2025

This course is so well planned, integrating practice with theory. I knew breathwork helped me as anxiety approached but now I have the best "how to" instruction around.

karen

September 10, 2025

Inge, I'm grateful to have found your breathwork courses/modules. I discovered the power of breathwork in 2020 and have maintained a daily practice ever since, mainly focusing on breath holds, but exploring other breathwork practices too. I love your blend of theory/science and practice as it has increased my understanding of the ways different breathwork practices influence the body/mind/spirit relationship. I found the lessons and modules build on each other in a logical sequence, your explanations are clear, concise, and easy to understand, and your love really shines through. Again, thank you, I'm looking forward to learning more in the next two modules.

Tel

August 6, 2025

Absolutely fantastic course. Inspirational beyond words.

LJ

July 8, 2025

Well done! The course is very informative. I look forward to module three.

Amanda

June 30, 2025

Fantastic explanations, easy to follow very effective and calming.

Jules

June 29, 2025

Brilliant

Beth

June 22, 2025

I am so lucky to have found this coarse. I am immensely grateful to Inge for spending the time and effort to create it. It feels like an huge gift coming right at the time when I most need it. I'm 80 years old and my husband is becoming very sick. The concentration needed and benefits I've received are enormous. This is the second time going through the course and the time is well spent. Thank you Inge, Beth

M

May 29, 2025

Most excellent

Sarah

May 25, 2025

Love it

Remco

May 24, 2025

Een life changing cursus! Ik ben super dankbaar

Melissa

May 9, 2025

Love this series! Very helpful and informative, good mixture of theory and practice 💚

Sioelan

May 5, 2025

Very interesting to hear about the eastern and western perspective on breath duration and single nasal breathing... and enjoyed the practice...

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