I Tried the Othership Breathwork App for 30 Days—Here‘s What Happened

Hey there wellness seeker, Jess here! If you‘ve been following me for a while, you know I‘m always on the hunt for the latest and greatest tools to feel my best. So when I heard about the Othership breathwork app that‘s been blowing up on social media, I knew I had to give it a try. I mean, anything that promises less stress and more energy sounds like a dream come true, right?

In case you‘re not familiar, Othership is a new wellness app that offers guided breathwork sessions to help you feel more calm, focused, and balanced. It was created by the team behind the super-trendy Othership Bathhouse in Toronto, so you know they‘re all about those chill vibes.

But before we dive into my experience, let‘s start with the basics…

What Exactly is Breathwork, Anyway?

Breathwork is basically the practice of using specific breathing techniques to shift your mental, emotional, and physical state. It‘s been around for thousands of years in practices like yoga and Tai Chi, but recently it‘s been gaining popularity in the wellness world as a simple yet powerful way to manage stress, boost mood, and even process emotions.

There are tons of different breathwork styles, but some common ones include:

• Diaphragmatic breathing (aka belly breathing)
• Box breathing (breathing in, holding, and exhaling for equal counts)
• 4-7-8 breathing (inhale for 4, hold for 7, exhale for 8)
• Breath of fire (rapid, rhythmic breathing through the nose)
• Alternate nostril breathing (breathing through one nostril at a time)

The idea is that by consciously controlling your breath, you can tap into your autonomic nervous system and shift from a stressed "fight or flight" state to a relaxed "rest and digest" state. Science backs this up too—studies have shown that breathwork can help:

• Reduce stress and anxiety by up to 44%
• Lower cortisol levels by 25%
• Increase theta brainwaves (associated with deep relaxation)
• Improve HRV (heart rate variability), a key marker of health
• Enhance focus, creativity, and productivity

Pretty cool, right? So now that we know why breathwork is so awesome, let‘s talk about how Othership makes it easy and accessible.

Inside the Othership App

First of all, I have to give props to Othership‘s design team because this app is straight up gorgeous. The interface is modern, minimal, and intuitive, with soothing colors and nature-inspired visuals that immediately put me at ease.

When you open the app, you‘re greeted with the main library of breathwork sessions organized into themed collections like "Up" for energy, "Down" for relaxation, and "All Around" for balance. You can easily browse by goal, length, or facilitator to find the perfect sesh for your needs.

Once you choose a session, you‘ll see a brief overview of what to expect along with the facilitator‘s bio. I love that Othership works with experts from all over the globe in different breathwork styles, so you can find a voice and approach that resonates with you.

The sessions range from just 2 minutes to 50 minutes, with most in the 10-20 minute sweet spot. They‘re audio-only, which I actually prefer since it lets me focus inward without any visual distractions. The production quality is chef‘s kiss—the music and soundscapes are super immersive and the facilitators‘ voices are clear and soothing.

During the session, your guide will lead you through the specific breathing pattern, offering cues and reminders along the way. I appreciated that the app lets you adjust the volume of the voice and background separately, so you can find the perfect balance.

After each sesh, you can rate how you feel and track your progress and streaks over time. Othership also offers personalized recommendations based on your activity, which is a nice touch.

Some other nifty features worth mentioning:

• Offline downloads so you can breathe anytime, anywhere
• Customizable reminders and notifications
• Apple Health integration to track your mindful minutes
• Shareable stats and milestones to keep you accountable

All in all, Othership makes it incredibly easy and engaging to start and stick with a breathwork practice. But how does it compare to other apps out there?

Othership vs. The Competition

To really evaluate Othership, I decided to compare it to three other popular wellness apps: Calm, Headspace, and Breathwrk. Here‘s how they stack up:

	Othership	Calm	Headspace	Breathwrk
Breathwork sessions	500+	~30	~50	~100
Meditation sessions	–	100s	100s	–
Other content	–	Music, Sleep Stories	Animations, Sleepcasts	–
Session length	2-50 min	3-30 min	1-20 min	1-30 min
Subscription cost	$11-18/mo	$15/mo	$13/mo	$10/mo
Free trial	7-14 days	7 days	14 days	7 days
App Store rating	4.9/5	4.8/5	4.9/5	4.8/5

As you can see, Othership offers the most breathwork content by far, with over 500 unique sessions in a wide range of styles and lengths. It‘s also the only app dedicated solely to breathwork, whereas Calm and Headspace focus more on meditation with breathwork as a secondary offering. Breathwrk is the most similar to Othership in terms of concept, but it has a smaller library and less variety in terms of facilitators and session types.

Price-wise, Othership is about average at $11-18/month depending on whether you go monthly or annual. That‘s a bit more than Breathwrk but less than Calm, and on par with Headspace. Considering the amount and quality of content you get, I think it‘s well worth the investment. Plus, Othership offers a generous 7-14 day free trial so you can test it out before committing.

Of course, the "best" app really comes down to your personal preferences and goals. If you‘re looking for a one-stop shop for stress relief, Calm or Headspace may be better options since they also include sleep content, music, and meditations.

But if you‘re specifically interested in exploring breathwork and want the most comprehensive library with expert guidance, Othership is the clear winner IMO. The production quality and user experience are top notch, and I love how the app encourages you to make breathwork a consistent habit.

My 30-Day Othership Experience

Okay, so now for the juicy part—what happened when I actually used Othership for 30 days straight? Let me tell you, it was a JOURNEY.

I started my trial on a Monday morning, feeling equal parts excited and skeptical. I‘m no stranger to meditation apps, but I wasn‘t sure if breathwork would feel that different. Boy was I wrong!

The first session I tried was a 5-minute "Up" one called "Energy Boost." Within just a few cycles of rapid inhales and slower exhales, I could feel my heart rate rising and my whole body buzzing with aliveness. By the end, my mind fog had lifted and I felt so ready to take on the day.

That night, I tried a 15-minute "Down" session to wind down for bed. The combination of soothing nature sounds and gentle breathing rhythms helped me release all the tension I was holding in my body. For the first time in a long time, I fell asleep easily and slept through the night without waking up.

I was hooked! Over the next few weeks, I made Othership part of my daily routine. Most mornings I‘d do an energizing sesh to start the day, and most nights I‘d do a calming one to drift off. If I was feeling stressed or unfocused during the day, I‘d do a quick 2-5 minute reset.

Here are some of my fave sessions from each collection:

Up favorites:

• "Rise & Shine" – 10 min morning pick-me-up
• "Kickstart Your Day" – 5 min breath of fire
• "Energizer" – 7 min activating breathwork

Down favorites:

• "Unwind & Rest" – 15 min calming wind down
• "Deep Relaxation" – 20 min progressive muscle relief
• "Sleep Like a Baby" – 10 min 4-7-8 breathing

All Around faves:

• "Let It Go" – 5 min releasing breathwork
• "Coming Home to Yourself" – 10 min grounding session
• "Find Your Balance" – 7 min alternate nostril breathing

After a month of consistent use, I can honestly say Othership has transformed my relationship with stress and anxiety. I‘m sleeping better, feeling more energized, and have way more tools in my self-care toolkit. Even my skin looks clearer and brighter, which I wasn‘t expecting!

The biggest difference, though, is my overall sense of resilience. Stressful stuff still happens, but breathwork helps me stay grounded and present instead of getting caught in a spiral of worries. It‘s like I have this secret weapon to reset my nervous system anytime, anywhere.

I‘ve raved about Othership so much that my BF and bestie are hooked now too! We love sending each other our favorite sessions and hyping each other up. Gotta love an accountability buddy, right?

Is Othership Worth It?

Now for the million dollar question: Is Othership worth the hype (and the subscription cost)? For me, 100% yes. The quality and quantity of content alone makes it a great value, but the real benefit is how it‘s helped me create a consistent breathwork practice and reap the mental and physical rewards.

I know the subscription model can be a turn off for some people. But IMO, investing in your wellbeing is always worth it. Othership costs less than a gym membership and WAY less than therapy or medication. If it helps you show up as your best self in your relationships, work, and life, I‘d say that‘s priceless.

Of course, no app is one-size-fits-all. If you‘re on a tight budget, Othership might not be top priority. But I do think the free trial is a great way to test it out and see if it resonates with you.

I‘d especially recommend Othership if you:

• Struggle with anxiety, overwhelm or insomnia
• Want a simple, accessible way to manage stress
• Are interested in pranayama or yogic breathing
• Like the accountability of guided practices vs. DIY
• Enjoy exploring different modalities and teachers

The one caveat I‘ll add is that if you have a respiratory condition like asthma or COPD, definitely check with your doc before trying any breathwork. Some techniques (like breath of fire) can be triggering for certain folks. But Othership does have gentler sessions that may still be helpful, so it‘s worth asking!

The Bottom Line

Phew, that was a lot of info! If you made it this far, thanks for sticking with me. I know I can geek out about this stuff, but it‘s only because I‘ve seen firsthand how powerful breathwork can be.

I hope this Othership review has given you a comprehensive look at what the app offers and how it stacks up to other options out there. More than that, I hope it‘s inspired you to give breathwork a try and see how it can support your own well-being journey.

Because at the end of the day, that‘s what it‘s all about—finding the tools and practices that help us show up as our best selves and savor all the precious moments this life has to offer. And if we can do that with a little more ease and a little less stress? Sign me up.

So go ahead and give Othership a spin. Do it for your nervous system, your sparkling eyes, your big beautiful dreams. And if you feel so called, let me know how it goes! I‘m always down to swap stories and cheer each other on.

Until next time, may your inhales be deep and your exhales be long. And may you remember, no matter what life throws your way, you always have your breath to come home to.

[Cute Pinterest-y quote graphic about breathwork/mindfulness]

With love and all the chill vibes,

Jess