Ahead of her Equinox residency, breathwork artist and coach Kira Mae Kazuko discusses the power of breathing deeply.
Breathing seems like the simplest concept in the world. After all, it’s something every person does on autopilot since the moment they’re born. But as it turns out, the act of breathing boasts an array of lesser-known benefits so many aren’t reaping — yet. Enter: breathwork artist and coach, Kira Mae Kazuko.
For Kazuko, whose Equinox residency kicks off on March 10 and ends on March 15, breathwork came into her life in 2022, at a point when she needed it most.
“I stumbled upon breathwork by pure coincidence at a time when I was starting to explore different resources to manage my mental health with my family doctor,” says Kazuko, who has personal experience with PTSD and general anxiety disorder. “It helped to heal a lot of my pain. I had an over-regulated nervous system that was impacting my entire quality of life. Breathwork regulated it.”
At its core, breathwork encourages the body to relax. When you’re stressed, your body activates the fight-or-flight response. In the short-term, your body releases hormones that increase your focus and alertness, helping you escape the stressful situation. But when your stress system is chronically turned “on,” there can be more significant impacts on your overall health. Specifically, it can increase the risk of heart disease and depression, impair the immune system, and have gastrointestinal impacts, according to the National Institutes of Health.
