At Superyacht Fitness, we believe that focusing on your mental and physical wellbeing is essential for navigating the challenges of life at sea. Breathwork is a simple yet empowering practice that helps to build resilience, cope with stress and ultimately perform at your best.
Life onboard can be both exhilarating and demanding, with superyacht crew members navigating the vast oceans and delivering unforgettable experiences to guests. However, behind the scenes, the relentless demands of the job and the challenges of being away from home can take a toll on crew members’ wellbeing. Burnout, the pervasive feeling of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion, can cast a shadow over even the most idyllic seafaring journey.
What is Breathwork?
This ancient practice has now become a ‘go‘ for most people looking for a simple, quick and effective way to calm the nervous system in stressful situations. Breathwork is a practice that involves conscious and intentional control of the breath. It goes beyond the automatic and involuntary act of breathing and focuses on using specific breathing techniques to achieve various physical, mental, and emotional benefits. The fundamental principle behind breathwork is that by altering the way we breathe, we can influence our physiological responses, calm the nervous system, and cultivate a greater sense of mindfulness and presence. Through breathwork, you can experience improved focus, reduced anxiety, increased energy, and a deeper connection with our inner selves.
Why is This Important to the Superyacht Industry?
In the context of life at sea, where challenges and demands can be significant, breathwork becomes an invaluable tool for superyacht crew members to navigate stress, boost resilience, and optimise their mental and physical wellbeing. Breathwork has gained popularity in the wellness, fitness and self-development industry, with practitioners and researchers exploring its potential benefits for managing stress, improving mental health, and enhancing overall vitality. It’s powerful and truly transformative.
The Study of Breath and Stress Reduction
There have been studies which aimed to compare the effects of three different daily 5-minute breathwork exercises with an equivalent duration of mindfulness meditation. Each breathwork technique offered a unique pathway to tranquillity and rejuvenation.
Cyclic Sighing
This technique placed a special emphasis on prolonged exhalations, encouraging participants to release tension and negativity with each breath. As the breath flowed out, so did the burdens of stress and anxiety.
Box Breathing
This practice focused on achieving balance and stability through equal durations of inhalations, breath retentions, and exhalations. With each rhythmic cycle, participants found themselves harmonising with the ebb and flow of life.
Cyclic Hyperventilation with Retention
Unleashing the potential of breath, this exercise involved longer inhalations and shorter exhalations. Participants embraced the unique pattern of breath, venturing into deeper states of relaxation and self-discovery.
The results of the study were improvements in mood and anxiety levels, as well as changes in physiological arousal, including respiratory rate, heart rate, and heart rate variability. The positive outcomes illuminated the transformative power of breathwork exercises in stress reduction and emotional wellbeing.
How Can Breathwork Help with Burnout?
Burnout is not simply feeling tired or stressed; it’s a serious condition with significant physical, emotional, and mental consequences. It is a state of chronic exhaustion resulting from prolonged exposure to high levels of stress and pressure, often in demanding work environments. Symptoms can include memory problems, insomnia, headaches, and unhealthy coping mechanisms like overeating or substance abuse. Experiencing burnout can negatively impact both professional and personal aspects of an individual’s life, leading to reduced job performance, strained relationships, and an overall decline in physical and mental wellbeing. And if left unaddressed, burnout can escalate to more severe long-term mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. The fact that something as simple as breathwork can have such a transformative effect on the body is quite something.
7 Breathwork Benefits
Incorporating breathwork techniques into daily routines can unlock a profound sense of calm, cultivating mental resilience, and enhancing overall quality of life. It’s crucial to recognise the signs of significant stress and burnout and take appropriate steps to address and prevent it.
1. Breathwork for Stress
Breathwork can be a valuable tool in addressing extreme stress, such as burnout and promoting overall wellbeing. Burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion that arises from prolonged stress and overwork. It can affect anyone, including superyacht crew members who often face demanding schedules and high-pressure environments.
One of the primary benefits of breathwork is its ability to activate the body’s relaxation response. Slow, deep breathing signals the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting a sense of calm and reducing stress hormones like cortisol. By practising breathwork regularly, crew members can counteract the chronic stress that contributes to burnout.
2. Enhanced Mental Clarity with Breathwork
Burnout can lead to mental fog and decreased cognitive function. Breathwork techniques that focus on deep, intentional breathing can improve oxygen flow to the brain, enhancing mental clarity, focus, and concentration. This can help crew members feel more alert and attentive during their demanding tasks.
3. Using Breathwork for Emotional Regulation
Burnout can lead to emotional exhaustion and heightened sensitivity to stressors. Breathwork can help regulate emotions by encouraging individuals to acknowledge and process their feelings without judgement. Techniques like diaphragmatic breathing can help stabilise emotions and provide a sense of control during challenging situations.
4. Breathwork to Increase Energy and Vitality
Burnout can leave individuals feeling depleted and fatigued. Breathwork techniques, such as energising breaths or alternate nostril breathing, can revitalise the body and provide a natural boost of energy. Regular breathwork practices can help crew members feel more energised and resilient.
5. Breathwork for Mindfulness and Presence
Burnout often arises from a constant focus on the past or worry about the future. Breath-work promotes mindfulness by anchoring individuals to the present moment through focused attention on the breath. This helps crew members stay grounded and present during their daily tasks, reducing feelings of overwhelm and burnout.
6. Improve Relaxation and Sleep with Breathwork
Burnout can disrupt sleep patterns and lead to insomnia. Breath-work can act as a relaxation technique before bedtime, calming the mind and body to promote better sleep quality. Improved sleep contributes to better overall wellbeing and resilience to stress.
7. Building Resilience
Incorporating regular breathwork practices can strengthen the mind-body connection and build emotional resilience. By cultivating self-awareness and coping skills through breathwork, crew members can better navigate challenging situations and reduce the impact of burnout on their overall health.
Start by educating the crew about the benefits of breathwork. Explain how specific breathing techniques can help reduce stress, improve focus, and enhance overall wellbeing. Create awareness about the impact of breath on mental health.
What can you do to promote wellbeing onboard?
Superyacht crew members, who often work in high-stress environments with long hours and demanding responsibilities, are not immune to burnout. Taking proactive measures to manage stress, prioritise self-care, and seek support when needed is essential in preventing and addressing burnout.
Superyacht Fitness can play a crucial role in helping captains and yacht owners promote crew wellbeing and create a supportive work culture on board. We offer wellness programs that encompass mental, physical, and emotional health. This can also include breathwork! As well as access to expert fitness trainers, mental health resources, and holistic wellbeing initiatives, we can help yacht owners demonstrate their commitment to crew wellness.
By incorporating well-designed crew gyms and fitness facilities on the yacht, owners show that they prioritise crew health. Having access to exercise equipment and workout spaces helps crew members manage stress, improve physical fitness, and boost their overall wellbeing. This, in turn, contributes to a healthier and more motivated crew, leading to enhanced performance and overall excellence on the superyacht.
~ Written by our fitness expert