The Breathing Brain
- Leon Heidkamp
- Various
“I like breathing. I think breathing exercises are good, 'cause it’s very easy to, you know, get drawn into the past or the future as a golfer or as an athlete in general.”
Throughout the day our breathing is usually a fully unconscious process and takes care of itself. But unlike other bodily functions that are regulated by the autonomic nervous system, such as heart rate or digestion, we can choose to consciously control our breath [1]. This kind of control is utilized in “breathwork” which is an umbrella term for techniques in which the breathing pattern, for example the respiratory rate, is deliberately altered.
One of the reason why specific breathing techniques are believed to be effective in stress management, emotional regulation and promotion of further cognitive benefits is that they stimulate the vagus nerve [2]. This nerve connects the lungs to the brain [3] and is part of the parasympathetic nervous system, which in turn is responsible for a mode of “rest & digest” – reducing stress levels and decreasing heart rate. In other words, breathwork could be used as a method to stimulate unconscious parts of the brain which are responsible for reducing stress and inducing relaxation.
Even though there are many more breathing techniques, we give a short overview of four major ones below [4].
Slowing down your breath
Breath holding
Breath-holding is the practice of intentionally pausing the breath after an inhalation or exhalation for a set duration. This technique triggers several compensatory mechanisms to ensure oxygen delivery to the brain. For instance, increased norepinephrine levels lead to constriction of blood vessels in the arms and legs while blood pressure rises [4]. During the initial, more relaxed phase of breath-holding, vagus nerve activity is heightened, leading to a decrease in heart rate, which induces a state of relaxation [4]. Breath-holding can also be used as a form of hypoxic training to enhance sports performance [4].
Slow-paced breathing
This technique aims to prolong and deepen both inhalation and exhalation, reducing the breathing frequency to less than 10 breaths per minute. Breathing at approximately six breaths per minute has been shown to be the most effective for stimulating the vagus nerve and activating the baroreflex, which regulates blood pressure [4]. The vagus nerve plays a crucial role in cardiac regulation, and its activity is reflected in increased heart rate variability (HRV) — the millisecond differences between successive heartbeats. Higher HRV indicates greater activity of the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes a state of relaxation as mentioned before [4]. Elevated HRV is also associated with improved overall health, longevity [5], and potentially cognitive performance [6]. Given these effects, slow-paced breathing offers numerous psychophysiological benefits for athletes, including enhanced resilience [4], anti-inflammatory effects, greater aerobic endurance, improved lung capacity, better emotional well-being, and enhanced sleep quality [7]. But potentially also include higher arterial oxygenation, increased cardiac output and decreased blood pressure [8]. Research has shown that long interventions of slow-paced breathing significantly enhanced physical sports performance [4].
Speeding up your breath
Fast-paced breathing
Fast-paced breathing is a technique involving rapid inhalations and exhalations, typically performed at a rate of more than 20 cycles per minute [4]. In contrast to slow-paced breathing, fast-paced breathing increases heart rate and blood pressure while decreasing vagus nerve activity [4]. Furthermore, brain areas involved in information processing get stimulated, potentially improving reaction times [9,10]. This is probably the reason why reaction times improve during fast-paced breathing [11]. Therefore, this technique can be used to boost energy, enhance focus, and prepare the body for action.
Hyperventilation
In stressful, high-pressure situations we often tend to fall into the breathing pattern of hyperventilation without even noticing [12]. Hyperventilation is defined as a breathing rate in which oxygen uptake exceeds carbon dioxide removal beyond what is metabolically required [4]. With inhales becoming shallow and rapid it might not come as a surprise to feel light-headed and dizzy. That is because blood flow in the brain is reduced [13]. Psychologically, voluntary hyperventilation can create a state of heightened alertness but may also provoke stress and anxiety [4]. The effects of hyperventilation on physical sports performance remain inconclusive as meta-analysis has found no significant improvements of this technique [4].
Some breathing techniques improve performance, others do not.
In summary, voluntary breathing patterns can be used to activate either the parasympathetic or sympathetic nervous system, respectively decreasing or increasing the state of arousal [4,9]. This is particularly groundbreaking, as only ten years ago it was believed that these systems could not be voluntarily controlled [14].
Slowing down the breath induces a state of calm and relaxation, which is beneficial in sports that require a clear mind and heightened focus. Conversely, increasing the breathing rate elicits alertness, and potentially even stress [4,9], which may be desired for short, high-intensity exercises.
However, not all breathing techniques provide universal benefits. For athletes seeking a competitive edge through breathwork, selecting the right technique and a scientifically sound expert is essential.
Our advice:
The preferred breathing technique of Ludvig Åberg is box breathing – a form of slow-paced breathing which promotes the benefits we just discussed. This method effectively reduces your respiratory rate to four breaths in a minute:
1. Breathe in for four seconds through your nose.
2. Hold for four seconds with your lungs fully filled.
3. Gently exhale through your mouth for a count of four seconds, emptying your lungs.
4. pause again with your lungs empty for four seconds before repeating the process.
#trainyourbrain
If this article sparked your interest and you would like to know more about this or other topics, please do not hesitate to contact us via info@neuro11.de. We look forward to hearing from you.
References
[1] Youtube Video on Breathing Link
[2] Frontiers in Human Neuroscience article Link
[3] Cell article Link
[4] International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology book Link
[5] Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews article Link
[6] Frontiers in Neuroscience article Link
[7] Frontiers in Psychology article Link
[8] Breathe article Link
[9] Frontiers in Neuroscience article Link
[10] Journal of Neuroscience article Link
[11] Human Movement Science article Link
[12] Youtube Video on hyperventilation Link
[13] Brain research article Link
[14] Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences article Link
