It's about 500 milliliters of air that we breathe in per breath - about 20 times per minute, depending on our activity level. That's a considerable amount. The oxygen thus inhaled is essential to life. It reaches the muscles and organs via the bloodstream. The body needs it for energy production. Breathing usually works unconsciously. And also incorrectly. But how do you breathe correctly? Why is correct breathing important? And how can Breathing-Retreats help you?

Just take a breath

As soon as a person is exposed to stress, whether it's physical or psychological, breathing becomes shallower and more superficial. As a result, headaches develop, cognitive performance drops and concentration difficulties occur. According to research, 60 to 80 percent of all people breathe too shallowly, even in everyday life.

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If you focus on your breathing and breathe more consciously, you can enjoy some health benefits. For example, proper breathing can lower blood pressure, improve performance in sports, and balance the nervous system. Concentration increases with proper breathing. It also acts as a booster for your mood. In fact, breathing too shallow creates a feeling of latent stress and subliminal anxiety.

How to breathe correctly

Anyone who feels stressed should first take a deep breath. It's also important to breathe through the nose. Only in this way is the air taken in moistened, warmed and purified. According to studies, those who breathe more often through the nose than through the mouth improve memory and empathy. But breathing through the nose is not the end of the story. The next step is to make sure you breathe deeply into your belly. The whole chest and abdominal area is involved here.

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Calm, deep breathing that allows the air to flow out longer than it flows in has a positive effect on the emotions and on the body. One method you can use at home is called 4-7-11. Here, you breathe in while counting to four - make sure you're breathing from your belly! Then exhale and count to four again. Continue to increase as soon as you get used to it: first count to five, then to six. If you have also mastered this, venture a step forward. On the inhale, count to four; on the exhale, count to seven. <You should keep this up for eleven minutes.

Top Breathing-Retreats for the Bucket List

Pnoé, Crete/Greece

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More and more wellness resorts are now taking up breathing. One of them is Pnoé on Crete, which just opened in July 2023. Here, breathing therapies are offered based on the Buteyko Method developed by Dr. Konstantin Pavlovich Buteyko in 1952. Originally developed as a therapy for asthma, it also helps with stress, pain and trauma. Breathwork sessions are bookable as private sessions or group sessions.

Pnoé Breathing Life
arteros Beach, Ηράκλειο 715 00, Greece
Web: pnoe-breathinglife.com
Tel:+30 2810 000990

Das Kronthaler, Tyrol/Austria

© The Kronthaler

Located alone on the edge of the forest, the hotel attracts with nature, harmony and a lot of peace. At the same time, you always have the opportunity to experience yoga in connection with breathwork during carefully arranged retreats. While yoga and meditation teacher Florine takes care of the movement units, breathwork trainer Markus is responsible for the breathing exercises.

Das Kronthaler
Am Waldweg 105a, 6215 Achenkirch, Austria
Web: daskronthaler.com
Tel.: +43 5246 6389

SIRO, Dubai/UAE

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At the end of 2023, SIRO, the new lifestyle and hospitality brand from Kerzner International opens its first property in Dubai. The innovative and holistic sports and wellness concept blends the boundaries between fitness, well-being and vacation. This includes mindfulness trainers holding workshops and offering special courses in breathing, meditation and visualization.

SIRO One Za'abeel
Web: sirohotels.com
Opening: Q4/23