007 - The Power Of Breathwork - Ronan O'Brien (@breathwaveireland)

In this episode of The Survival Project, we sit down with Ronan O’Brien — founder of Breathwave Ireland — to talk about breathwork as more than a trend. This is about pain, anger, identity, stress, nervous system regulation, and the ability to actually come back to yourself.Ronan shares how chronic pain and the loss of his identity as an athlete pushed him into breathwork back in 2015/2016 — not as a hobby, but as a lifeline. He opens up about 20 years of constant pain, suppressed anger, frustration, and how one powerful breathwork session completely cracked something open for him.We talk about:What breathwork really is (beyond “just breathing in a circle in a dark room”)The link between breath, the nervous system, and emotional regulationHow stress and fight-or-flight can literally make you sick — especially with autoimmune and gut issues like Crohn’sWhy your phone, doomscrolling, and nonstop stimulation are wrecking your sleep and mental healthHow slowing down is not laziness, it’s medicine (“you’ve got to slow down to catch up”)Why chasing a huge emotional release in every session is the wrong approachBuilding resilience instead of slapping on a temporary bandageWe also get practical:How to start breathwork safely if you’re dealing with anxiety, panic, chronic illness, or burnoutThe absolute basics: diaphragm first, nasal breathing, sleep qualityWhy nasal breathing matters for recovery, endurance, and running performanceSimple box breathing for sleepWhy regulating the vagus nerve (and working with the breath, humming, rhythm, sound) can help your digestion, mood and stress responseThe difference between functional breathwork, conscious connected breathwork, Wim Hof style, holotropic style, and why not every style is for every person, every dayWe get into the deeper human part too:Grief when illness or injury steals the future you thought you were going to haveWearing masks — the “family mask”, “work mask”, “I’m fine mask” — and how breathwork helps you meet the real you underneath all that performanceHow couples breathing together can open conversations that never would have happened otherwiseHow community breathwork creates safety and belonging in a world where most people feel overstimulated and aloneRonan also talks about joy and happiness in a way you don’t usually hear:Happiness: being comfortable in your own skin, including the parts that are still healingJoy: being able to sit with anger, shame, hurt, stress — without exploding, and without abandoning yourselfIf you’re overwhelmed, stuck in survival mode, burnt out, not sleeping, or constantly “on edge”… this episode will land.This one is for:Anyone living with chronic illness, autoimmune disease, gut issues, chronic stress or anxietyPeople who feel like their nervous system is fried and they can’t switch offHigh performers and athletes pushing too hard, ignoring the crash comingAnyone who keeps saying “I’m fine” but isn’t fineRonan O’Brien runs Breathwave Ireland, offering guided breathwork sessions, live community classes, and on-demand sessions people can do at home. We talk about his platform, how to safely begin, and how to build nervous system capacity over time — not just chase a one-off breakthrough.Core ideas from this episode:“You’ve got to slow down to catch up.”“You’re not broken. You’re overstimulated.”“Your breath is free, and it’s yours.”“You’re thinking yourself sick.”“Joy is being able to sit with any emotion without reacting in a way you regret.”Links:https://breathwaveireland.comhttps://www.veyobreathing.com