A new book by Vincennes University Associate Professor of English Jesse Coomer shares healthy ways to manage stress through breathwork. He is a breathwork coach who is certified in many breathwork methods.

“A Practical Guide to Breathwork: A Remedy for the Modern Human Condition” is a highly practical guide on how to train your breathing to help improve overall health and wellbeing.

This is a book that is both timeless and right on time.

“Everybody can take control of their health with breathing techniques,” Coomer said.

Coomer was in the midst of his creative project while on sabbatical during Spring Semester 2020 when the pandemic hit. His book is relevant now in a way he never imagined when he first set out to write it.

He initially planned to write a book about the methods of Dutch extreme athlete Wim Hof, who promotes the health benefits of combining breathing techniques and cold exposure therapy, and Hof’s movement.

Coomer is one of the first people in the world to train under Hof.

“People have had major health breakthroughs from the Wim Hof method,” Coomer said.

Coomer is a certified Wim Hof Method instructor, cold training expert, and certified personal trainer. Coomer also published a book, “A Practical Guide to Cold Training”, which he describes as a nonsense-free guide based on his five years of training in the cold.

Coomer was in Poland in January 2020 with Hof doing research when the coronavirus began making news.

“Whenever Covid hit, I saw a level of stress in people that I hadn’t seen before, and I felt it too,” Coomer said.

“I knew not everybody is going to want to get in a cold shower. There’s a lot we can do with our breathing and maybe I can write a book that can help people to take control of their stress levels and get a better night’s sleep, and I think more people would be willing to at least try breathing techniques.”

Breathwork is popular among elite athletes, CEOs, and high-performing individuals, according to Coomer. He anticipates its growth within the next decade.

Coomer says 70 percent of a person’s physiological functions are governed by the body’s autonomic nervous system, which generally determines whether you are in a state of stress or relaxation. That system can be influenced by breathing, according to Coomer.

“If you can learn to practice control breathing, you can learn to influence 70 percent of your physiology,” he said. “These are things such as blood sugar, heart rate, sexual function, blood flow, and digestion. There seems to be an enormous amount of prescription drugs that people are taking for these issues that are governed by a system that you can influence for free through your breathing. Also, you can really make yourself feel better, feel less stressed throughout your day, and feel more confident, and it’s free if you know how to use it.”

Coomer reveals he practiced everything he teaches in his guide as he was working it. He not only wrote it during the pandemic but also while his son was home for two months.

“The pandemic hit in the middle of his sabbatical, yet Jesse was able to find a way to complete his research and write his book “A Practical Guide to Breathwork: A Remedy for the Modern Human Condition”. As it turns out, the subject matter and the practical guide have proven quite relevant as the pandemic has continued, giving easy-to-use techniques to reduce stress and improve physical and mental health,” said Dean of Humanities Joan Puckett.

“Jesse's book is truly accessible in both his explanation of the modern human condition and his explanation of the various breathing techniques. His enthusiasm for the subject matter and his desire to teach others clearly emanate from the pages.”

To learn more or purchase “A Practical Guide to Breathwork: A Remedy for the Modern Human Condition”, go HERE. The book is available via Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other sellers. It is available in multiple formats, including print, electronic, and audio. The audiobook even features guided breathwork sessions conducted by Coomer.

Explore Coomer’s faculty profile: https://www.vinu.edu/employees/jesse-coomer.html

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