The wellness industry is now selling something most people do automatically: breathing. From online courses to in-person sessions, breathwork is being touted as a path to unlocking “fullest human potential,” but the reality is more nuanced. While some techniques offer genuine benefits, the market is rife with exaggerated claims and inflated prices.
The Rise of Commodifying Air
The trend mirrors a satirical scenario from Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax, where a corporation profits by selling bottled air to a city stripped of its trees. Today, similar dynamics are at play: people are paying premium prices for skills they already possess, fueled by promises of deep healing and transformative growth. But how much of this is real, and how much is just hot air?
What Is Breathwork?
Breathwork isn’t a single practice, but a collection of techniques designed to manipulate the autonomic nervous system, impacting heart rate, blood pressure, and mood. Some methods, like diaphragmatic breathing, have established benefits, reducing stress hormones such as cortisol. Others, like resistance breathwork, build lung capacity through muscle strengthening.
The science is clear: altering your breathing can change physiological states. But the claims often outstrip the evidence. A recent meta-analysis found breathwork may improve stress and mental health, but cautioned against overstating its effects.
The Risks and Benefits
The body’s instinct to breathe isn’t about oxygen intake; it’s about expelling carbon dioxide. Techniques like the Wim Hof method exploit this by hyperventilating to induce hypoxia, allowing practitioners to hold their breath for extended periods. Research suggests potential benefits, including reduced inflammation and increased pain tolerance, but these methods carry risks, especially for those with respiratory conditions.
Experts stress the need for supervision. These practices should be guided by medical professionals, not sold as unsupervised self-improvement hacks.
Altered States and Business Motives
Certain breathwork techniques induce altered states of consciousness, which can be genuinely transformative… or destabilizing. Dr. Vince Polito notes that the lack of control in many settings raises concerns. The unregulated nature of the market also invites predatory practices.
“You can end up with promotions that claim more than what has been rigorously demonstrated,” Polito says.
The Bottom Line
Breathing is free. While specific techniques can tap into physiological mechanisms for potential benefits, the idea that you need to pay hundreds of dollars for access is questionable. As the fictional bottled air company in The Lorax advised: breathe responsibly… and be skeptical of those selling you air you already have.
Ultimately, the breathwork boom highlights a familiar pattern: the commodification of basic human functions. The question isn’t whether breathing has potential benefits, but whether those benefits justify the hype and the price tag.
