How Breathwork Works and What to Expect in Your First Class

Most people who arrive at a breathwork class weren't looking for breathwork. They were looking for better sleep. A way to quiet a mind that won't stop running. Relief from the low-grade stress that has become the background noise of daily life - the kind that keeps people from actually enjoying the lake, the trails and the open space that drew them to Kelowna in the first place.

Breathwork has a credibility problem. The word still conjures images of incense and altered states, and a lot of people dismiss it before they understand what it actually involves.

That deserves correction, because the physiology here is straightforward and well-researched. This is not a fringe practice. It’s a structured method for shifting your nervous system state, and for most people, a single session is enough to feel the difference.

Here’s what to expect when you book a breathwork class at Ivy Health Clinic in Kelowna.

What Breathwork Actually Is

Breathwork is a broad term for any practice that uses deliberate, structured breathing patterns to produce a specific physiological or psychological effect. That can mean a simple technique you use at your desk or a longer guided session using a specific method.

The breathwork offering at Ivy Health is built around the SomaBreath method: a system that combines pranayama techniques - rhythmic breathing rooted in yogic practice - with modern music technology and gentle somatic movement. It’s one of the most accessible and well-researched breathwork systems available.

Why the Breath Is Different From Every Other Tool

Your breath is the only autonomic function you can consciously control. Heart rate, digestion, hormone regulation: these all run without your input. Breathing sits at the intersection of voluntary and involuntary. Change your breathing pattern and you change your nervous system state.

What Changes in Your Body

When breathing is shallow and fast - the default for most people under chronic stress - the brain reads it as a signal of danger. The sympathetic nervous system stays activated. Cortisol stays elevated. Sleep suffers. Digestion is disrupted. Focus scatters.

When breathing slows to a deliberate, rhythmic pace, the opposite happens. The vagus nerve is activated - the main highway for parasympathetic signalling, running from the brainstem through the heart, lungs and digestive tract. Heart rate slows. Cortisol drops. Heart rate variability increases, which is a measure of how well your nervous system can shift between states.

The body shifts into the mode it needs for genuine recovery. Not just relaxation. Recovery.

What a Class at Ivy Health Looks Like

Classes at Ivy Health are facilitated by Jen Newman.

You’ll be guided through rhythmic breathing techniques timed to specially designed music. The music handles the pacing, so you follow the rhythm rather than counting beats. This removes one of the most common barriers to breathwork - the self-consciousness of trying to get the technique exactly right.

Alongside the breathwork, Jen brings in somatic tools drawn from her nervous system training: simple practices you can use on your own between sessions.

Classes are kept to four participants, which keeps the experience supported and intimate without the anonymity of a larger group setting. Each class closes with an integration period. The goal is that you leave settled, not activated.

You don’t need to have any experience with breathwork, meditation or yoga to attend.

What the Research Shows

Breathwork is not a new idea dressed up in wellness language.

A 2023 meta-analysis published in Scientific Reports reviewed 12 randomized controlled trials involving 785 participants and found that breathwork interventions were associated with significantly lower levels of self-reported stress compared to control groups. Slow-paced breathing was particularly effective at promoting parasympathetic activity and increasing heart rate variability.

The mechanisms are well-characterized. Slow, rhythmic breathing at approximately 5–6 cycles per minute activates respiratory sinus arrhythmia - a direct pathway for vagal tone regulation. Higher vagal tone is associated with better emotional resilience, lower cortisol, improved sleep and more stable cardiovascular function.

The SomaBreath method used in classes at Ivy Health has also been the subject of research collaboration with the University of Cambridge, contributing to a growing evidence base on the physiological effects of rhythmic breathwork.

Who It’s For

You are someone who wakes up already thinking about everything you have to do. Stress is not an occasional visitor - it’s just the baseline. You are tired but wired. You know you need to slow down but you cannot quite get there. Sleep feels just out of reach. Your body is running on fumes and your mind refuses to follow.

If that sounds familiar, this class was built for you.

Come and Try It

If any of this resonates, the best next step is simply to show up and experience it. One session will tell you more than this article can.

See upcoming dates and book your spot at Ivy Health

Frequently Asked Questions:

• Where are breathwork classes held in Kelowna?

  Breathwork classes at Ivy Health Clinic take place at our Pandosy Village location in the Mission area of Kelowna, BC (202-2900 Pandosy St). Classes are kept to four participants maximum to maintain a supported, intimate experience. The clinic is accessible from across Kelowna, West Kelowna, and the surrounding Okanagan.

• How do I book a breathwork class at Ivy Health Clinic?

  You can view upcoming dates and reserve your spot online at ivyhealthclinic.janeapp.com, or visit the breathwork class page. Sessions are $35 per person and run 90 minutes. For questions, contact us at hello@ivyhealthclinic.ca or 250-410-4406.

• What does breathwork do for stress and anxiety?

  Structured breathwork activates the parasympathetic nervous system - the branch responsible for rest and recovery. A 2023 meta-analysis in Scientific Reports, based on 12 randomized controlled trials with 785 adult participants, found that breathwork can significantly reduce self-reported stress. Slow, rhythmic breathing has also been shown to lower cortisol and improve heart rate variability, a measure of nervous system flexibility.

• Does breathwork help with sleep?

  Breathwork may improve sleep by reducing the sympathetic nervous system activity that keeps many people alert and restless at night. Slow breathing increases vagal tone, which can support the body's shift into rest-and-recovery mode. This is particularly useful for people who feel exhausted but are still unable to wind down - a pattern commonly linked to nervous system dysregulation. See also: Why You're Tired But Wired — and What to Do About It.

• Do I need experience to attend a breathwork class?

  No prior experience is needed. Most people attending their first class at Ivy Health Clinic have never tried breathwork before. The class is fully guided, and the music handles the pacing so you follow the rhythm rather than counting beats. Beginners are welcome.

• Is breathwork the same as meditation

  Breathwork and meditation overlap, but breathwork is more active. The specific pattern of your breathing is the primary tool, producing measurable physiological shifts. Meditation typically asks you to observe your breath without directing it. Many people find breathwork more accessible than meditation, especially when a busy mind makes stillness difficult.

This class is a general wellness offering and does not constitute medical treatment or create a practitioner-client relationship.