Posted 4 days ago
The Healing Power of Breath: How Breath Work Supports Cancer Patients
For cancer patients, each day can bring new physical, emotional, and spiritual challenges. With the whirlwind of treatment schedules, medical decisions, and overwhelming emotions, one powerful tool often gets overlooked—our breath.
Breath work, the intentional practice of controlling and deepening the breath, offers cancer patients a gentle yet profound way to reconnect with their bodies and minds. While it may seem simple, breath work has been shown to reduce anxiety, ease pain, and improve sleep—all common struggles during cancer treatment.
Here are some of the key benefits of breath work for cancer patients:
- Reduces stress and anxiety: Deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, helping to calm the body and mind.
– Improves sleep: Calming the nervous system through breath can promote more restful, restorative sleep.
– Eases pain: Mindful breathing can shift focus away from physical discomfort and support the body’s natural pain relief mechanisms.
– Restores a sense of control: When everything feels uncertain, breath work is a reliable and empowering tool patients can use anytime, anywhere.
– Processes difficult emotions: Breath can help patients sit with and move through emotions like fear, sadness, and anger without being overwhelmed.
– Deepens spiritual connection: Breath work can provide a sense of grounding, peace, and connection to something larger than oneself.
Breath work doesn’t require equipment or expertise. A few minutes of deep breathing each day—in through the nose, out through the mouth—can make a real difference.
Ironwood Cancer and Research Centers offers a monthly breath work class with Kreston “Woody” Woods, Breathwork Coach and Certified Personal Trainer. His passion for this practice is contagious. We invite you to check it out the 2nd Tuesday of the month from 10-11 am.
Jodi Puhalla, BSW
Social Worker for East Valley Offices
Jodi Puhalla obtained her social work degree from MN State University/Moorhead in 1990. She has spent most of her career as a medical social worker in hospitals, long term care facilities and hospice care.
Jodi is a native of Minnesota and moved to the Phoenix area in 2020. She has a passion for holistic healing and meditation. She likes to explore ancient practices for stress management in the modern world. She enjoys supporting others through difficult transitions in their lives.