The Hidden Dangers of Breathwork and Water.
A Breath of Caution
Conscious connected (rapid) breathing is powerful. Water is healing. But combining the two? That can be deadly.
In recent years, breathwork has exploded in popularity and with it, a flood of social media videos showing people holding their breath underwater, meditating in bathtubs, or practicing deep breathing in pools, lakes, and oceans. But what looks beautiful and serene can carry serious, even fatal, risks.
This article lays out exactly why these two powerful elements, breath and water, should be kept separate in practice. To be clear, I’m only referring to Conscious Connected Breathing (CCB) and the many fast-paced breathing styles that fall under this umbrella. The parasympathetic techniques are perfectly safe which I will touch on near the end of the article. Whether you’re a facilitator or just curious about trying breathwork, this is one safety warning you can’t afford to ignore.
What Is Conscious Connected Breathing?
Conscious connected breathing (CCB) is a specific breathwork technique where the inhale and exhale are linked without pauses. It often involves deeper, faster breathing over an extended period, leading to changes in oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the body. The goal is to activate a non-ordinary state of consciousness for emotional processing, trauma release, or nervous system reset.
It can induce:
Tingling in the body
Dizziness or light-headedness
Emotional release
Temporary dissociation or trance-like states
Deep relaxation or catharsis
It is a powerful therapeutic tool when used properly, typically while lying down, with closed eyes, on dry land, in a controlled environment. This is why trained facilitators always instruct participants to lie down, stay warm, and be in a controlled environment with no physical hazards nearby.
Why This Combo Can Turn Risky, FasT
One of the physiological effects of CCB is hypocapnia: a reduced level of carbon dioxide in the blood due to over-breathing. While this can feel euphoric, it also reduces your body’s natural urge to breathe. This is where things get risky.
If someone holds their breath or practices breath retention near or in water, their CO₂ levels may be too low to trigger the breath reflex before they pass out. This is called shallow water blackout.
Unlike drowning from fatigue or panic, shallow water blackout can happen silently and instantly.
You may:
Lose consciousness without warning
Sink below the surface quietly
Be unable to call for help
This is not about fear-mongering, it’s about physiology. The body does not have enough time to send emergency signals. Even trained swimmers and athletes have died from this, which is why freediving and cold immersion training follow strict safety rules.
Common Misunderstandings
"But Wim Hof does it in the cold!" Wim Hof breathing involves controlled hyperventilation followed by holds, but even his team warns never to do breath holds in water.
"It’s just a bath!" Hot water adds another layer of risk: lowered blood pressure, dizziness, and slipping into altered states. Combine that with breathwork, and you increase your chances of fainting or losing motor control.
"I feel calm and connected doing it." That’s great, but altered states can give you a false sense of safety and control. When your body is in a trance, your physical response time is slower.
Safe Ways to Incorporate Water Themes
You don’t have to banish water from your CCB breathwork rituals entirely. Here’s how to work with the energy of water without the physical danger:
Use ocean or river sounds during your journey
Visualise water during meditative states
Drink water before and after your session to hydrate
Take a calming bath after breathwork as part of integration
Mist sprays can offer a symbolic water element without danger
But never practice rapid or Conscious Connected Breathwork (CCB):
In the ocean or sea
While floating or soaking in a pool
In the bath during a session
Near deep water without supervision
That said, slow, parasympathetic breathing is not only safe… it’s encouraged. Gentle breathing techniques that lengthen the exhale and raise CO₂ tolerance actually support relaxation and can be beautifully paired with water themes. If you want to do breathwork in or near water, stick to soft, regulated patterns that down-regulate the nervous system and avoid hyperventilation completely.
Why Timing Matters: The CO₂ Signal and Your Last Breath
Here’s what most people don’t realise: it’s not a lack of oxygen that triggers your urge to breathe, it’s the rise in carbon dioxide (CO₂).
When you engage in conscious connected breathing, you lower your CO₂ levels. This tricks your brain into thinking everything is fine. You don’t get the signal to breathe until it’s far too late, which is exactly what makes breathwork around water so dangerous.
Here’s the scary part. If you pass out from low CO₂ while in water, your body’s last reflex is to gasp, even if you’re unconscious. On land, this reflex could help restart your breathing. In water, it means your lungs fill with water.
That’s how people drown. Silently. Instantly. Without panic.
This is also why it’s essential to never do breathwork before entering water. Even if you’ve finished your session, give your system time to stabilise before swimming, cold plunging, or bathing alone. There should always be a clear break between your breathwork and any water activity.
Final Thoughts: Respect the Breath, Respect the Elements
Both breath and water are sacred. But when combined without awareness, they can be deadly.
If you’re a facilitator, educate your community. If you’re a participant, don’t take risks. The altered states created by CCB breathwork affect your body, your mind, and your perception, and should never be practiced in or around water.
When in doubt, stay grounded. Stay dry. And always, always put safety first.