As the billion dollar wellness industry moves from the mind to the body, breathwork is becoming the quickest way to restore and relax– to find clarity amid digital noise.
by the Editorial Team.
Northamptonshire-based breathwork coach Nissy Cheema runs classes both online and in person in breathwork. Combining elements of yoga, mindfulness, and nervous system regulation, breathwork offers a powerful way to restore calm, boost energy, and change how you feel—often in just a few minutes.
A Practical Tool for Modern Life
“Breathwork is about doing something immediate with your body to impact how you feel in the moment. It’s incredibly practical—you can use it anywhere.
Unlike traditional meditation, which often requires time, stillness, and practice, breathwork can be woven into everyday life. Whether it’s five minutes before a stressful meeting, after a difficult conversation, or simply during a busy day, the right breathing technique can quickly shift your state.
At its core, breathwork works by influencing the nervous system. When we’re stressed, we tend to breathe shallowly into the chest. By consciously slowing the breath and directing it deeper into the belly, we send signals to the brain that we are safe—helping to move out of the fight-or-flight response and into a calmer state.
“You notice a real change,” Nissy says. “Your body starts to relax, your mind settles, and you feel more in control.”
From Personal Practice to Professional Calling
Nissy’s journey into breathwork began through her own experiences with anxiety and stress. Already practicing yoga, she started exploring breathing techniques as a way to manage her own challenges.
“I realised it was really helping me,” she says. “And I thought—if this works for me, it could help other people too.”
That realisation led her to train as a breathwork practitioner, gaining a CPCAB qualification last year. Since then, she has been building her practice across Northamptonshire, offering a range of sessions, both online and face to face, to suit different needs and lifestyles.
What to Expect from a Session
Nissy’s classes are designed to be inclusive, accessible, and adaptable. Sessions typically begin with gentle movement—simple stretches to open up the chest, neck, and diaphragm—followed by guided breathing exercises.
“I’ll talk people through different techniques, sometimes with a rhythm or count,” she explains. “Then I give space for people to explore what works for them.”
There’s no rigid structure or pressure to “get it right.” Instead, participants are encouraged to adjust techniques to suit their own bodies and preferences—whether that means slowing things down, speeding them up, or modifying the breath entirely.
Her approach focuses largely on calming, restorative, and balancing breathwork, particularly in evening sessions designed to support relaxation and better sleep. Morning classes, on the other hand, may include more energising techniques to help participants start their day feeling focused and refreshed.
A ‘Toolkit’ for Everyday Wellbeing
One of the key benefits of breathwork, Nissy believes, is how easily it integrates into daily life.
“I want people to build a toolbox,” she says. “You don’t need 15 techniques—just a couple that really work for you.”
This might be a simple breathing pattern to calm nerves before a presentation, a technique to help with sleep, or a quick reset during a stressful workday. The beauty of breathwork is its subtlety—most practices can be done quietly, without anyone even noticing.
Nissy has already seen the impact this can have, particularly for people dealing with workplace stress or anxiety.
“You can be sitting at your desk, and no one knows you’re doing it—but you’re calming your body and mind in that moment,” she says.
Beyond Relaxation: Physical Benefits Too
While breathwork is often associated with mental wellbeing, it also offers physical benefits. By strengthening the diaphragm—the body’s primary breathing muscle—it can improve breathing efficiency, reduce tension in the neck and shoulders, and even support digestion.
“Many people are breathing in a way that isn’t optimal, just because of modern life,” Nissy explains. “When you start to retrain that, you can feel a difference in your whole body.”
Classes, One-to-Ones, and What’s Next
Nissy offers a variety of ways to experience breathwork, including one-to-one sessions tailored to individual needs, online classes that can be done from the comfort of home, and in-person sessions across Northamptonshire.
Her online classes, often held in the evening, focus on deep relaxation—encouraging participants to get cosy, unwind, and prepare for restful sleep. She also offers shorter coffee break and taster sessions for people curious to try out the new practice.
Looking ahead, Nissy hopes to expand her offerings further by incorporating yoga nidra—a deeply restorative guided relaxation practice often described as “yogic sleep.”
Open to Everyone
A key part of Nissy’s mission is making breathwork accessible to as many people as possible.
“This is for everyone,” she says. “Men, women, anyone over 16. You don’t need experience, and you don’t need lots of time.”
For those who are curious but unsure, her advice is simple: give it a try.
Trying It First-Hand
I joined one of Nissy’s classes and was surprised by how much it combined movement, yoga, meditation and breathing. As someone who finds in practically impossible to switch off during traditional meditation, this felt easier—it gave my mind something to focus on throughout.
I was expecting just breathing exercises but was surprised by the combination of physical movements, guided meditation and breathwork exercises.
The session began with simple movements: tensing and releasing muscles, rolling the shoulders, and gently waking up the body. From there, Nissy guided us through different breathing patterns, her voice steady and reassuring. The combination of movement, breath and focus created a rhythm that was deeply calming.
By the end, I definitely felt more relaxed, clearer-headed, and grounded—proof that even a short session can have a real impact.
For details of all classes, both online and in person, Nissy runs, visit the website:https://www.breathworkwithnissy.co.uk/