The Neuroscience of Breathwork
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We don’t spend a lot of time thinking about breathing. It’s an automatic process driven by the oldest part of our brain, the brainstem. The medulla oblongata, a smaller region within the brainstem, is what specifically controls breathing. While all mammals have these structures, humans are unique in their ability to consciously control their breathing.
We know that the way we breathe matters. In sports, people are getting more interested in teaching athletes how to breathe more efficiently and effectively because it directly affects their performance. In everyday life, how we breathe is closely connected to how our brain works, so it makes sense for us to pay some attention to it too.
When we pay attention to our breath (let's call it ATB for short), it helps calm down the amygdala, a part of the brain that deals with fear and memory. ATB also makes the connection between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex stronger. This could mean that the brain handles stress better and communicates more effectively with the part that helps us take action. Another study found that people who practiced ATB were better able to control unwanted thoughts compared with those who consciously paid attention to those thoughts. The takeaway: simply paying attention to your breath has significant value.
Let's look at why controlling your breath matters. Breathing techniques have been part around over 5,000 years, and now modern science is starting to understand their benefits. Different types of breathing practices can influence the brain in various ways., and it usually boils down to the type of breathing practice used.
Nasal breathing syncs up three brain areas (piriform cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus), which has a positive effect on cognition. This sync doesn't happen with mouth breathing. Also, when we're anxious or scared, faster breathing is linked to the increased activity in the amygdala, which can cause you to panic. That's why consciously slowing down and bringing awareness to your breath helps when we're anxious. A study found that breathing slowly through the nose reduced anxiety five times more than regular breathing. The 2-part accelerated Breath helps quiet the analytical mind and access the subconscious where new neural pathways fire up to bring up insights and downloads, while resonant breathing retrains the nervous system to come back to a calm state using slow relaxed diaphragmatic breathing at around 3-7 breaths per minute/
Clearly, there’s a relationship between the breath, emotions, and cognition. Future research will elucidate so much more, but for the time being, we can appreciate the power and benefits of Breathwork.
