How Breathwork Supports Digestion and Immunity

When we think about breathwork, most of us picture stress relief: deep inhales to calm the mind, slow exhales to release tension. But what if breathing intentionally could also improve your digestion and immune health?

Science now confirms what functional medicine practitioners have observed for years: there's a powerful communication system between your lungs and gut, often referred to as the gut–lung axis. And by practicing intentional breathing, you can influence this pathway to support digestion, reduce inflammation, and strengthen immunity.

What Is the Gut–Lung Axis?

The gut–lung axis is the bidirectional relationship between your digestive system and your respiratory system. These two systems may seem unrelated, but they communicate constantly through:

• Immune signals – The immune system acts as the messenger, transmitting inflammatory or anti-inflammatory cues between the gut and lungs.

• Microbes – The trillions of bacteria that live in your gut and lungs influence each other, shaping overall immune balance.

• Nervous system pathways – The vagus nerve, which connects brain, lungs, and gut, regulates digestion and inflammation.

This means that what happens in the gut can affect the lungs and vice versa.

Why This Connection Matters

An imbalance in either the gut or lungs can ripple through the entire body. For example:

• People with asthma often have altered gut microbiota.

• Gut inflammation has been linked to chronic respiratory issues.

• Poor lung health can worsen gut problems like reflux or motility issues.

How Breathwork Influences Digestion

Breathwork directly stimulates the vagus nerve, a key part of the parasympathetic nervous system. When the vagus nerve is activated through deep breathing, it signals your body that it’s safe to:

✔ Digest food more effectively

✔ Absorb nutrients efficiently

✔ Reduce gut inflammation

✔ Improve motility (the movement of food through the digestive tract)

For people dealing with IBS, reflux, or slow motility, this can make a noticeable difference.

Breathwork and Immune Health

The lungs are not just organs of respiration, they also play a role in immunity.

They’re constantly exposed to the outside world through the air we breathe. By maintaining strong vagus nerve tone and a healthy gut–lung connection, you support:

• Balanced immune signaling – preventing overreactions that can lead to chronic inflammation.

• Microbial diversity – healthy bacteria in the gut and lungs keep harmful microbes in check.

• Systemic resilience – reducing vulnerability to both respiratory and digestive infections.

Breathwork practices reduce stress hormones like cortisol, which otherwise suppress immunity and increase inflammation. This creates a stronger internal defense system overall.

Practical Breathwork for Gut–Lung Support

Here are a few breath practices that specifically support digestion and immune balance:

1. Diaphragmatic Breathing

Place a hand on your belly, inhale deeply so it rises, then exhale slowly. This is the foundation of vagus nerve stimulation.

2. Resonance Breathing (Coherent Breathing)

Breathe in for 5–6 seconds and out for 5–6 seconds. This balances the nervous system and has been shown to reduce inflammation markers.

3. Extended Exhales

Exhale longer than you inhale (e.g., inhale 4, exhale 6–8). This amplifies parasympathetic activation, calming both gut and lungs.

4. Post-Meal Breathing Pause

Spend 2–3 minutes after meals practicing slow breathing to signal your body that it’s safe to digest.

Functional Medicine Perspective

In functional medicine, the gut–lung connection highlights why we never look at symptoms in isolation. For example:

• Someone with reflux may also struggle with anxiety or asthma.

• A patient with frequent respiratory infections may benefit from gut microbiome support.

• Chronic bloating or IBS may improve when nervous system regulation (like breathwork) is part of the treatment plan.

By combining lab insights with nervous system practices, nutrition, and targeted supplements, we create a whole-person approach to healing.

What the Science Says

Recent studies confirm this connection:

• A 2024 review in Pathogens highlighted how changes in the lung microbiome can affect gut health and vice versa.

• Research shows that vagus nerve activation through breathing influences inflammatory pathways, improving resilience in both respiratory and digestive systems.

These findings reinforce what functional medicine has long practiced: supporting the nervous system through breath can ripple through nearly every aspect of health.

Final Thoughts

Your breath is more than oxygen. It’s a direct line to your nervous system, digestion, and immunity. Through the gut–lung axis, intentional breathing becomes a simple yet profound way to support whole-body health.

The best part? It only takes a few minutes a day. By weaving breathwork into your routine, you can strengthen digestion, balance immunity, and calm inflammation - all with one of the body’s most natural tools.

👉 Curious how functional medicine creates personalized plans that integrate breathwork, nutrition, and root-cause healing? Schedule a consultation to explore how we can support your journey.