Why You Should Start Your Day Screaming, From A Breathwork Expert

Maz notes that her classes usually last anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes, but for those doing this on their own, she says you only need around 15. Before beginning, you’ll want to either lay or sit down, as it’s not uncommon to feel a bit lightheaded in the beginning. If you’re apprehensive about neighbors or roommates hearing you, grab a blanket or a pillow you can scream into.

Once you’re comfortable, you’ll start with a three-part breathing sequence (all through the mouth) of an inhale into the belly, inhale into the chest, and exhale. Continue this breath for 10 to 15 minutes and think about what you’d like to release, whether it’s frustrations, grief, rage, etc.

“Then the scream comes in,” Maz says, “and generally I call it a primal scream.” Take a super deep breath in and allow the scream to rise up from deep inside you, from the pit of your belly. “Let it rip and scream until you can’t scream anymore,” she adds.

If you feel like you’ve got more left to scream out, you can take another big inhale, and scream a second time. Maz says two screams usually does the trick.

After that, allow for integration with a couple more minutes of the three-part breath followed by calming, deep breaths.