Breathwork is a far superior mental health treatment compared to anything else - Richard Blake

In our busy and often hectic world, consciously seeking ways to relax is essential to stay well-balanced. The question is: how do you do that? We ask experts to share their tips & tricks with us. Richard Blake, breathworker, holistic therapist, bio-hacker and PhD student in psychology explains why breathwork is such a powerful tool.

What drives you in your work? "In my research and experience, people are being let down by outdated, talk based therapies.” In his work, Richard’s desire is to share the incredible tool of breathwork with people around him. “I believe that breathwork is a far superior mental health treatment compared to anything else that is being offered to the general population."

How do you notice you’re in need of relaxation? As for many people, Richard’s stress impacts his sleep quality. Richard: "Sleep problems are the first thing I notice when I am stressed. If I do not allow myself time to process my emotions during the day, they will keep me awake at night."

What do you do when you notice this? "I love hot and cold contrast therapies. I have an ice bath and a sauna that I go in daily.” This difficult task helps Richard to create a mental callus. “After going in the ice, I know that almost nothing during the rest of my day is going to be as difficult as the intense cold." A powerful way to start the day!

Do you have a set self-care ritual? "My morning starts with meditation with the BrainTap headset, which activates the brain via frequencies of light and sound, combined with the HAELO PEMF device, which supports peak performance, in front of an infra-red light panel (from JOOVV). I then go and do some conscious connected breathwork in the sauna and finish my routine in the ice bath. To keep my mind focused while in the ice, I try to get down to two breaths per minute."

What has conscious breathing brought you? Richard: "For most of my life I suffered from depression and an eating disorder. I had many years of talk therapy before I discovered breathwork. As Stan Grof said, clients can give you an insight into their problems but the problems do not go away. This was the same for me. I understood why I was suffering but it was only the conscious connected breathwork that allowed me to work through my problems and leave them behind."

What’s your favourite moment to use moonbird? Being an early bird, Richard uses moonbird during his morning routine: "I use moonbird as part of my morning routine, usually in the sauna. Seeing my HRV in real time really helps me to understand how my body is doing and to get positive feedback that the breathing exercise is helping my body."

What do you like about breathing with moonbird? You can use moonbird whenever and wherever you want, Richard noticed that too: "I like that it is very discreet. I can use it on a train or plane and no one will notice that I am doing breathwork."

What is your motto in life? "Nothing worth having comes easily."