Mindfulness and Marijuana: How Breathwork and Cannabis Work Together

Being aware of and regulating your breath can harness the transformative power of mindful breathing. For some, combining breathwork with cannabis can lead to a deep awareness of the body, while for others it can ignite a journey similar to a DMT trip.

“Breathwork itself is therapeutic for many of the same reasons that people use cannabis – PTSD, anxiety, insomnia, or pain and inflammation,” said Dr. Simi Kaur Burns PharmD, cannabis pharmacist and yoga teacher. “Cannabis helps some people slow down, stay present in the moment, and experience heightened sensory or emotional awareness—all of which support breathwork.”

Learn more below about the similarities between practicing breathwork and consuming cannabis, and how the two can work together to create positive effects for individuals.

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What is breathwork?

Breathwork involves practices that consciously regulate or control the breath.

There are several ways to practice breathwork. Popular techniques include:

• Yogic pranayama practices (such as nadi shodhana or alternative nostril breathing)
• Holotropic Breathing
• 4-7-8 breathing
• Breathing according to the Wim Hof ​​method
• box breathing
• diaphragmatic breathing
• Even breathing
• Pursing lip breathing
• resonance breathing

While the details of each exercise vary, they all have common elements: focus on the length of the inhale and exhale, pauses between breaths, and holding your breath.

For movement coach Griffin Coombs, a key focus is breath holding, which can improve cognitive function and boost the immune system.

“My intentional breathwork is almost always focused on improving my body’s tolerance to carbon dioxide, which involves practicing breath-holds, reducing tidal volume, and/or lengthening the breathing cycle,” Coombs explained.

The benefits of breathwork

There are only a handful of studies on breathwork, but they demonstrate the versatility of the practice in promoting different aspects of health and well-being.

Breathwork can relieve anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms, improve lung function and digestion, improve sleep, lower blood pressure, and even help reduce tobacco cravings.

For some, breathwork can even help you “get high on your own” and lead to altered states of consciousness.

People often turn to breathwork when they seek a wellness practice that is free, can be done anywhere, anytime, and is sustainable and self-directed. While the immediate benefits are a sense of calm and presence in the mind and body, other long-term benefits (like those listed above) may become apparent with continued practice.

“Mindful breathing is fundamental to the regulation of the nervous system and endocannabinoid balance,” Burns said. “When we practice mindful breathing, it’s like rowing and rowing – with breathing exercises you can generate momentum more effectively.”

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What is the endocannabinoid system and what role does it play?

How can cannabis affect breathing?

The impact of cannabis on breathing and the respiratory system can be complex. Cannabinoids like THC and CBD, usage, and methods of administration can all play a role.

THC can dilate the airways by activating cannabinoid receptors in the lungs, which in turn relax bronchial muscles. This action is most likely due to the fact that weed was used to treat asthma in the early 20th century, with famous French writer Marcel Prost smoking cannabis to relieve his symptoms.

Modern research also suggests that smoking weed can temporarily dilate the bronchi in both healthy and asthmatic individuals.

However, long-term use can do just the opposite and ultimately restrict bronchial passages. Smoking weed on a regular basis can cause coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and other breathing problems.

According to Burns, THC and CBD can be combined in a variety of ways with breathwork and general well-being. For example, THC can reduce back pain by providing enough relief to allow long controlled breathing instead of shallow upper chest breathing, further reducing pain.

Similarly, the anti-anxiety properties of CBD can help people relax and delve deeper into breathwork practice, resulting in a deeper experience.

What happens when you combine cannabis and breathwork?

Anecdotally, experiences can be far-reaching. We would like to emphasize that the experiences mentioned here are subjective and not based on medical research. Everyone experiences cannabis and breathwork differently.

“In my experience, cannabis affects breathing by calming inhibiting, anxious thoughts and allowing me to be more present in my body,” Coombs said. “This tends to result in fewer distractions during breathwork and a deeper somatic experience.”

For others, cannabis breathwork can induce a mind-altering trip that is similar to a psychedelic trip.

According to the Center for Medicinal Mindfulness, when used skillfully with breathwork and in the right environment, cannabis can transform its form into a psychedelic. The center finds that participants sometimes compare their cannabis breathwork sessions to a DMT experience. The session can resemble a DMT trip in intensity but lasts longer, with the person enjoying a greater sense of control over what is happening.

The combination of these elements – cannabis, breathwork, set and setting – can result in an experience that is far more intense than either on its own, and balancing them and having an intense experience can take practice and experience.

Reddit forums devoted to the effects of Wim Hof ​​breathing on weed also share stories of how the herb can accentuate the practice. Those who combine the two sometimes experience severe shifts in consciousness, physical tremors, and visual images.

However, Winston Peki, founder and editor of Herbonaut, who has been practicing Wim Hof ​​breathing for five years, believes cannabis can have a mixed effect on the practice. While he agrees that weed can sharpen focus and improve the visual aspect of breathwork, he personally prefers to practice without it.

“Even though the quality of the Wim Hof ​​breathwork experience changes when I’m under the influence of cannabis, I still prefer to do it sober,” he reflects. “It’s a bit hard to explain why, but it feels like the benefits you get from breathing are more profound when you’re sober.”

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Tips for cannabis breathwork

If you’re thinking about experimenting with weed and breathwork, Peki and Burns both recommend avoiding smoking.

“I would avoid smoking at any time,” said Peki. “If you’re looking to use cannabis for its airway-expanding properties, then using a dry herb vaporizer would be the most sensible approach.”

Burns recommends trying tinctures or edibles and using only a little weed to begin with.

“Breathwork alone causes major changes in physiology that balance the endocannabinoid system, so you may find that you don’t need as much cannabis to feel an effect,” she said.

“The physiological effects of breathing work are sometimes surprising, such as dizziness, lightheadedness, drowsiness, or excitability. Combining it with too much cannabis—especially THC—could be intense, so start low and go slow,” she said.

Emma Stone

Emma Stone is a New Zealand-based journalist specializing in cannabis, health and well-being. She has a Ph.D. in sociology and has worked as a researcher and lecturer, but prefers to be a writer. She would enjoy spending her days writing, reading, walking outdoors, eating, and swimming.

Check out Emma Stone’s articles

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