How To Use Breathwork To Cure A Hangover

Art: "Insane In The Membrane" By Third Eye Society

If you’ve ever had a hangover, you know how absolutely debilitating they can be. You’re probably all too familiar with the throbbing headache, sensitivity to light and sound, queasiness and overall feeling of malaise. Conventional wisdom says that the only way to cure a hangover is time – just sleep it off and hope for the best. However, there is an unconventional cure that just might help – breathwork.

Breathwork is an alternative healing practice that involves controlled breathing exercises. When you do breathwork correctly, it can help to improve your physical and mental well-being, providing relief from conditions like anxiety, stress and even pain. And while breathwork won’t magic away a hangover completely, it can help to lessen the symptoms and make the recovery process more bearable.

How Does Breathwork Work?

The science behind breathwork is still being studied, but there is some evidence to suggest that it can be effective in treating various conditions. One study found that mindful breathing could help to reduce blood pressure and another found that specific types of breathwork (pranayama) could help to improve symptoms of anxiety.

When you do breathwork for a hangover, you’re essentially oxygenating your blood and helping your body to expel toxins more quickly. This can help to ease some of the symptoms associated with a hangover, like headache and nausea. Breathwork is also thought to help boost energy levels and improve focus – both of which can be helpful when you’re trying to recover from a night of drinking.

How to Do Breathwork for a Hangover

There are many different types of breathwork exercises, but one of the simplest and most effective for hangovers is alternate nostril breathing. To do this exercise:

Sit up straight with your spine tall and shoulders relaxed. Rest your left hand on your knee and close your eyes.
Use your right thumb to close off your right nostril and inhale slowly through your left nostril.

At the top of your inhale, use your right ring finger to close off your left nostril while releasing your right thumb so you can exhale through the right nostril only.
Inhale again through the right nostril only then repeat steps 2-4 – this time starting with left nostril closed first.

Breathwork won’t magically cure a hangover, but it can help to lessen the symptoms and make recovery more bearable. The act of oxygenating your blood helps to expel toxins more quickly, easing symptoms like headache and nausea. If you’re looking for a natural way to ease hangover symptoms, give breathwork a try next time you party too hard!