How to Safely Extend Your Breathwork Sessions for Greater Emotional Release

Discover how to safely lengthen your breathwork sessions to unlock deeper emotional healing, with practical tips for progress, safety, and self-awareness.

Breathwork has become a powerful tool for emotional healing, stress relief, and personal growth. Whether you’re a beginner or have been practising for some time, it’s natural to want to go deeper—to experience more clarity, more release, and more connection to yourself. One of the ways to do that is by extending your breathwork sessions. But how do you do this safely, without overwhelming your nervous system or pushing too far, too fast?

In this post, we’ll explore how to gradually and mindfully lengthen your breathwork practice to experience greater emotional release—without burning out or losing touch with your body’s natural signals.

Why Extend Your Breathwork Sessions?

The breath is a gateway into the subconscious. When we engage in conscious breathing practices—especially ones that involve rhythmic, deep, or connected breathing—we stir the emotional waters of the body and mind.

Extending your breathwork sessions can help:

• Unlock deeper layers of stored tension or trauma
• Reach emotional breakthroughs that short sessions may not touch
• Build resilience and tolerance for difficult emotions
• Enhance clarity, focus, and presence

 

But like any form of deep inner work, longer sessions need to be approached with care.

Start Where You Are

Before you extend your sessions, take stock of where you are now. If you’re currently doing 5–10 minute breathwork sessions a few times a week, that’s a solid start. The goal is not to jump to an hour-long session overnight, but to build up your capacity gradually.

Ask yourself:

• How do I feel emotionally and physically after a typical session?
• Do I ever feel dizzy, drained, or overly emotional afterward?
• Am I grounded in my practice, or still finding my feet?

 

If your current sessions feel overwhelming or unpredictable, it may not be the right time to go longer. Focus first on consistency and emotional regulation during shorter sessions.

Build Up Gradually

Once you feel steady in your current practice, start increasing session length in small increments. This might mean adding 2–5 minutes per week, or extending one session per week to a longer format.

Here’s a gentle progression to consider:

• Week 1–2: 10 minutes per session
• Week 3–4: 15 minutes
• Week 5–6: 20 minutes
• Week 7–8: 25–30 minutes

 

This may seem slow, but emotional processing can be intense—and your nervous system needs time to integrate. By taking it gradually, you’re giving yourself the best chance of reaping the full benefits without overload.

Choose the Right Technique

Not all breathwork styles are equal when it comes to intensity. Some methods, like Conscious Connected Breathing or Holotropic Breathwork, can stir up deep emotions very quickly. Others, like box breathing, coherent breathing, or diaphragmatic breathing, are gentler and more suitable for longer sessions.

If your aim is greater emotional release, you might naturally be drawn to more active techniques—but that doesn’t mean you need to go full throttle every time.

Try alternating between:

• Activating techniques (e.g. connected breathing, circular breath)
• Balancing techniques (e.g. 4-7-8 breathing, slow nasal breathing)
• Grounding practices (e.g. body scan, gentle humming, resting in stillness)

 

This layered approach can help you go deeper while also staying safe and resourced.

Watch for Signs of Overload

More isn’t always better. Pushing too hard in breathwork can lead to what’s called a “spiritual bypass”—where you experience a rush of energy or emotion but skip the actual integration and healing.

Be on the lookout for:

• Dizziness or tingling that doesn’t resolve with rest
• Emotional flooding (e.g. uncontrollable crying, panic, shutdown)
• Difficulty sleeping or increased anxiety after sessions
• Feeling disoriented or ungrounded for hours or days

 

If you notice any of these, it’s a sign to scale back and seek support. A trauma-informed breathwork guide or therapist can help you process safely and set healthy boundaries in your practice.

Create a Safe Container

The environment you practise in has a big impact on how safe and supported you feel. When extending your sessions, take extra care with:

• Time: Set aside a clear window where you won’t be disturbed
• Space: Choose a quiet, comfortable setting with supportive lighting and temperature
• Grounding tools: Keep a journal, blanket, essential oils or grounding objects nearby
• Aftercare: Plan 10–15 minutes post-session for reflection, hydration, or rest

 

Some people find it helpful to play calming music, use a timer, or follow a recorded guide. Others prefer to breathe in silence. Tune in to what helps you feel held and open.

Make Space for Integration

Breathwork doesn’t end when the session finishes. In fact, the most powerful part often happens afterwards—when the insights and emotions begin to settle.

To support integration:

• Write in a journal immediately after your session
• Take a gentle walk or spend time in nature
• Talk to a trusted friend or guide about your experience
• Notice changes in your dreams, moods, or physical sensations

 

Longer sessions often bring more to the surface. Honour whatever comes up, and give yourself time to process—without rushing to make sense of everything straight away.

Tune Into Your Intuition

One of the beautiful things about breathwork is that it strengthens your inner guidance. Over time, you’ll become more attuned to what your body and emotions need on any given day.

Ask yourself before each session:

• Do I feel resourced enough to go deeper today?
• What kind of breath would serve me right now—energising, soothing, clearing?
• Am I trying to force a breakthrough, or can I allow whatever wants to emerge?

 

Let your practice be led by curiosity, not pressure. Trust that depth will come naturally when the time is right.

Work With a Guide When Needed

If you’re exploring longer breathwork sessions for emotional healing, there may come a point when you need extra support. A qualified breathwork facilitator can:

• Help you navigate intense emotions or trauma safely
• Offer tailored practices based on your needs and goals
• Hold space for you to release and integrate more fully

 

Group breathwork journeys can also offer a powerful container, as long as they’re trauma-informed and well-held.

Final Thoughts

Breathwork is a deeply personal and transformative practice. Extending your sessions can absolutely lead to greater emotional release and healing—but only if done with care, awareness, and respect for your own process.

Go slow. Listen deeply. And remember: the breath will always meet you where you are.

Extra Resources

Go here to learn more about my online courses.

Why not treat yourself to a Meditation Retreat in the beautiful Devon Countryside?

This post may also interest you: Breathwork to Release Emotions: Healing Breathwork for Emotional Freedom

Best Wishes,

David.

© D. R. Durham, All rights reserved, 2025.