Somatic Breathwork and Trauma Claims: What Is Known

If you need help now

If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, call 911. In the US you can also call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Breathwork is not an emergency tool and is not a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

What "somatic breathwork" means

"Somatic" means "of the body." There is no single standard method, and the term is used for at least two quite different things.

• Slow, mindful breathing with body awareness. One digital physical-therapy company describes it as a body-centered approach using mindful, intentional breath patterns, often slow and controlled. [1]
• Guided connected breathing for emotional release. A retreat center describes sessions that typically use circular, connected breathing with body awareness, and says some people experience tears, laughter or shaking. It says sessions can be emotionally or physically intensive for some people. [2]

The first is close to ordinary slow breathing; see gentle breathing practices. The second is a continuous deep-breathing style, covered critically in conscious connected breathing. We give no instructions for the second kind. When a class says "somatic breathwork," ask which one it is.

What is claimed

The retreat center says the practice uses breath patterns to release stored stress and trauma from the nervous system. [2] This is a proposed mechanism stated as fact, and it works as a marketing claim. We did not find a measurement in any study we read showing that breathing "releases" stored trauma.

What research shows

Proper evidence not found for "somatic breathwork" as a treatment for trauma or PTSD. We searched PubMed for somatic breathwork, breathwork with trauma or PTSD, and trauma-focused breathing reviews, and found no trial of a labeled somatic-breathwork program in people with PTSD. What does exist is about related breathing practices:

1. Does breathwork lower stress?

   Promising but limited

   A meta-analysis of 12 randomized trials (785 adults) found a small-to-medium reduction in self-reported stress versus controls. Studies were mostly at moderate risk of bias [3]

2. Does it work in people with mental or physical health conditions?

   Insufficient evidence

   Effects were significant in non-clinical samples, but not in mental (only one study) or physical health populations; the authors say the test may have been underpowered [3]

3. Does fast-paced breathwork help?

   Insufficient evidence

   Effects were significant for slow-paced breathing but not fast-paced, and its safety profile needs more research [3]

4. A multi-technique breathing program for PTSD in veterans

   Promising but limited

   In 85 veterans, Sudarshan Kriya Yoga was not inferior to cognitive processing therapy on a PTSD checklist at 6 weeks, 1 month and 1 year, but was inferior on depression and mood scores at 1 year [4]

The veterans trial taught five breathing techniques including a bellows breath, so it is not a test of gentle somatic practice. It also gave more hours of instruction than the comparison therapy (25 vs 12) and was delivered by the program's main proponents. [4] See Sudarshan Kriya for details. Breathing trials cannot be blinded, and many compare against waitlist or usual care, so expectation can contribute.

What trauma care looks like

NICE guidance for England says to offer adults with PTSD an individual trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, and to offer EMDR (a trauma-focused therapy using eye movements) for non-combat trauma presenting more than 3 months after the event. [5] Breathing is not named as a treatment there. Other countries' guidelines differ; we did not read them. Breathing practice is at most an adjunct and should never replace therapy or medicines, or delay care.

Who offers it

Training for somatic breathwork facilitators is not described in the sources we read. A facilitator is not necessarily a licensed therapist. We list no providers. See trauma-informed breathwork, breathing practices for PTSD and the wellness page on trauma and PTSD.