Hot Key Books Breathwork Techniques for better mental, emotional and physical health.

by Ashley Roberts

Breathing comes naturally to us, we do it without thinking, but what happens if instead of taking this process for granted, we pay attention and focus on our breath?

This simple act, known as breathwork, is proven to help clear our minds, strengthen our nervous system, and oxygenate our entire body. But how do we harness this hidden power to help us with everyday anxiety, improve our sleep pattern and become happier?

As a former member of a popular girl group, radio host and television presenter, Ashley Roberts is no stranger to constant change, stressful scenarios and the pressures of a demanding career. But over the years, Ashley experienced extreme restlessness, anxiety and terrible sleep, and after some acutely difficult events in her personal life, including the death of her father, she found herself struggling and reaching out for help.

After seeking medical help, her doctor confirmed that her body, mind and soul needed to add breathwork into her life. She dove headfirst, and with her commitment to it, her life began to change...

With the help of simple breathing techniques, Ashley implemented these accessible methods and found her mental health was improving and she was experiencing deep sleep. For the first time in a long time, she felt a sense of calmness and connection to her authentic self.

Now, Ashley wants to share with you the effective tools that have helped her in her self-improvement journey. Filled with practical breathing exercises, mantras, affirmations and meditations, Ashley takes you on a journey to improve your mental and physical wellbeing and find inner peace.

Genres: Nonfiction

256 pages, Hardcover

Published July 17, 2025

Reviews

[Emily]

Satisfying, useful but quite simplistic at times, maybe ideal for beginners (I am not new to breathwork so not the key audience).

I would note that this book reads part memoir and part breathing techniques workbook. Ashley talks about herself and her experiences a lot more than I had anticipated. There are key techniques explained clearly, and with visual diagrams, which I appreciated. However, in general I feel this could have been longer and less repetitive to pack a more memorable punch!

[Trisha]

This book goes far beyond what I would have expected. Not only is it an exceptional guide to breathwork, I also relate to the narrator’s personal story on so many levels. I’ll be using these breathing techniques in my yoga classes.

[N]

I'm talented at breathing, especially exhaling, as Dashboard Confessional once sang.

By contrast, I am NOT talented at breathing. I'm really bad at it. Gimme a peak flow meter at the doctors and I crumble under the pressure. :(

The best thing about this book is Ashley Roberts' ('er from Pussycat Dolls) sincere enthusiasm for the transformative power of breathing techniques. I'm genuinely inspired! Probably not to do all the fancy ones she gets into, but I'm inspired to get better at slow nasal breathing. (Side product: the smells! My god, grassy meadows and woods smell INCREDIBLE right now.)

Apart from the breathwork stuff, Roberts also tells her story (surprisingly moving; she seems like a good egg) and then climbs into a soup of therapyspeak/cod-spirituality/high-vibe-whatever stuff that's less compelling. (Basically, if you've seen it on TikTok tagged as "wellness", it's here.)

I've come to the conclusion that everyone in modern life gloms onto a particular label, a person, a religion, a cult -- and makes it their entire personality. Roberts chose to do that with breathwork and, hey, there are more destructive obsessions.

Do I think breathing better is going to fix every problem in my life? Nope. But I'm glad I read this book.

[Andrés]

I was pleasantly surprised, in the best way. I had no idea what I was getting into when I bought this book. I’d never read anything about breathwork before; I’d heard of it, but nothing substantial.
I bought the book because I was curious about Ashley Roberts’ story, and something about it caught my attention. I’m so glad I did.
I didn’t expect it to be so powerful and transformative. After finishing the first chapter, I actually had to take a break just to process everything.
If you struggle with anxiety or insomnia, this book is for you. It shows you that you’re not alone, that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Breathwork doesn’t magically fix every problem, but it’s a tool worth having.
The book explains the exercises clearly and includes great illustrations.
I also loved Ashley’s writing style, it feels close, playful, grounded in facts and sources, yet still friendly and accessible.

[Georgie]

Amazing introduction into breathwork and exercise to follow. I had no idea how much of a shallow breather I am and now intend to really incorporate the exercises into my life.
Also I love you Ashley ⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Ellie]

3.5 stars

[ポピ]

3.5

[Gemma Abrams]

Best book I have read in a long time

[Brody DeChamplain]

More of a memoir than a guide but still gives a solid foundation for those beginning to learn about breathwork. I also appreciated her paying respect to pranayama and other trad yogic histories.

[Chris Lezu]

Interesting. Seems promising. No risk really, so might as well give it a shot! Might be a useful strategy for anxiety if you want to avoid medication.